Chapter 562: Robert’s Pride and Indulgence (6k)
In the circular spectator area.
Dark was startled when he heard “Robert Broheim.” “Robert, so you passed? I thought…”
Diana also looked bewildered. “I don’t know. But if Rose’s opponent is Robert, she should… be fine, right?”
Dark’s gaze shifted as he recalled Robert’s vampire magic guidance cards. “If he doesn’t use those cards, he shouldn’t be much of a threat, but it’s not certain.”
After all, Robert was only a second-year student, just starting on the path of magic guidance, far from reaching its end.
Therefore, no matter what level he displayed, there was no need for surprise.
Furthermore, since Robert had passed the new student tournament—though he might have been beaten badly in every match—their basic strength should not be lacking.
The magic guidance ball life barrier in the new student tournament only had 2000 mana points, and a full deck required just twenty magic guidance cards. The overall strength requirement for duelists was relatively low, so anything could happen.
Thus, before the result came out, it was best not to make hasty conclusions.
To avoid jinxing it.
Dark’s gaze towards the field became slightly more serious.
…
In the nearby seats, Wit Gold was tense and nervous.
Robert passing the Dueling Club’s assessment was a complete surprise for them.
Rose’s performance in the new student tournament was incredibly impressive.
Now, the situation on the field was like an ordinary student scoring sixty percent challenging a top student scoring one hundred percent. If Robert hadn’t gained anything this week, there wouldn’t even be a sliver of a chance.
Even so, Robert’s chances were minuscule.
“It’s time to test fate! Come on, Robert!”
Wit couldn’t help but clench his fingers tighter.
…
Outside the circular band, in the external spectator area.
When the announcer called out Rose’s name, both Viscount Florette and Viscountess Florette finally relaxed their frowns.
Whether out of emotion or the desire for a return on their investment, they urgently wanted to see Rose on the field.
Now that Rose was already on the field, their expectations were met. The outcome of the duel afterward didn’t matter as much.
However, Viscount Florette remained expressionless, while Viscountess Florette tightly gripped her bag.
Rose’s tutor, Debbie Giles, appeared calm.
She was a graduate of Saint Maryann Academy and knew very well what standards a second-year student should meet.
Rose Florette’s magical guidance talent shown during the break was undoubtedly the best in the academy.
Three months of intensive tutoring had transformed her!
As for her opponent, the follower of the Hero’s Child, Debbie had heard about him at the academy; he was someone who relied more on physical strength than intelligence.
“Rose cannot lose no matter how you look at it!”
…
These two novice duelists attracted quite a bit of attention, with some people even moving to this spectator area specifically to watch.
The classic duels between the Noble Academy and Knight Academy always drew attention.
And as representatives, the Sports Club from the Knight Academy and the Noble History Research Society from the Noble Academy quietly faced off outside the arena.
Of course, this was just a pretext for them to stare at each other.
It had nothing to do with the duelists themselves.
…
Arena Number Two.
Robert and Rose ascended to the competitors’ platform. Both were nervous as this was their first time on such a formal dueling stage.
Compared to Rose, Robert was more carefree, quickly adapting after swallowing his saliva and even waving to Wit below.
Rose, however, was much tenser.
After stepping onto the platform, she instinctively glanced toward the spectator area.
Only when she saw Diana vigorously waving a sign did she feel slightly relieved.
Then her gaze lingered on Dark for a moment before shifting to the external spectator area.
But with the crowd packed densely, the Viscount and Viscountess Florette were unremarkable, making it hard to find them.
She felt a little disheartened.
“Hey!”
Seeing Rose’s lack of spirit, Robert suddenly called out after activating the spellboard.
“Hmm?”
Rose instinctively looked up and saw Robert winking at her.
…
Robert said, “Pull yourself together. This is a duel! If you lose to me because you’re distracted, I’ll be troubled too. I don’t want to be seen as winning unfairly!”
Upon hearing this, Rose immediately took a deep breath. “A lion fights a rabbit with full force. I will give it my all!”
“Good.” Robert couldn’t help but smile, but then he suddenly snapped back to reality and got angry. “Wait, who’s the rabbit? I’m from the Knight Academy, and lions fit my identity!”
“Whatever,” Rose completely relaxed, placing her deck into the card slot on the spellboard.
As both spellboards activated, the words “Standby Phase” appeared above the field.
The referee’s whistle sounded, and the current mana values of the magic guidance ball life barriers in front of both competitors’ platforms were displayed.
The spellboards automatically shuffled the decks.
On the right side of “Standby Phase,” a countdown timer showing “30s” appeared.
…
Robert and Rose drew their cards almost simultaneously, quickly obtaining five magic guidance cards.
They then scanned their surroundings and began to ponder.
The scale of the outdoor duel arena was 120×80 meters, requiring adjustments in various techniques and tactics as the field expanded.
At this moment, whether it was the spectators outside or the duelists inside, everyone focused their attention.
Dark’s gaze swept over both faces, noticing that Robert wore a joyful expression, while Rose had a slight frown.
Thirty seconds passed in the blink of an eye.
“Standby Phase” turned into “Battle Phase.”
“The duel begins!”
As the countdown switched, both sides immediately began summoning magic guidance golems.
The proficiency levels of the two duelists in casting summoning spells were evident in this comparison.
Rose completed her initial summon in less than five seconds.
Robert, however, took at least seven seconds.
Though the difference was slight, accumulating over time made it significant.
Most importantly, a shorter casting time provided duelists with more thinking time.
Magic duels, apart from immediate control of the situation, were essentially battles of the mind.
Especially when the deck compositions were similar, whoever thought faster, had better experience, advanced strategies, and richer tactics would more easily gain the advantage.
Amidst the spectators’ gazes, Rose summoned her first magic guidance golem.
The summoning area on the red side manifested.
There stood a grinning pink rabbit!
“Stray Rabbit, enhance leg power!”
Under Rose’s loud command, the “Stray Rabbit” that leaped out from the summoning array stomped its feet, causing ripples under its paws, with pink light beams wrapping around its ankles like boots.
This one-meter-twenty-three-tall pink rabbit narrowed its eyes instantly, and with a heavy swing of its crowbar in hand, charged toward the summoning area of the blue side!
[Card Name: Stray Rabbit]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ???]
[Race: Avian-beast Kin]
[Attribute: Fighting Type]
[Mana: 1100]
[Attack: 1400]
[Defense: 700]
[Ultimate Skills: Stray Crowbar, Enhanced Leg Power, Stray Dancer.]
It was only then that Robert’s Mana Guidance Ball materialized in the blue side summoning area.
It was a three-meter-long, wide, and high Mana Guidance Ball shaped like a small castle.
“It looks somewhat like his ‘Magical Beast: Castle’…”
Dark pondered from outside the arena, and immediately saw Robert flick his fingers, directly controlling the blue side Mana Guidance Ball into the castle.
This sneaky tactic was completely contrary to Robert’s reckless style during the recruitment match at the Dueling Club.
But what differed from his previous style was not just him.
Rose had always employed a “defensive counterattack” strategy, but today she took an aggressive approach right from the start!
…
Announcer Buddy Morris immediately raised his voice as soon as both contestants summoned their Mana Guidance Balls: “An unexpected opening! The ‘Stray Rabbit’ summoned by Rose Florette is a very standard top-tier three-star Mana Guidance Ball.
The Stray Crowbar in its hands adds three hundred points of attack, allowing its maximum attack to reach 1700 points; few three-star Mana Guidance Balls can withstand its attack.
However, the ‘Toy Castle’ summoned by Robert Broheim has a defense as high as… Look! They’ve made contact!”
…
The disadvantage in summoning speed limited the effectiveness of the initial tactics.
With the “Enhanced Leg Power” effect, Rose’s “Stray Rabbit” crossed a hundred meters in extremely fast speed and struck Robert’s “Toy Castle” with a crowbar.
“Bang!”
When sparks flew, the “Toy Castle,” with its defense of 2000 points, was shattered at the corner.
A clear pink stream of light resembling ribbons floated above the “Stray Rabbit,” which was the ultimate skill — “Stray Dancer” that further amplified the attack!
But Robert remained calm despite the breach in the “Toy Castle’s” defense.
He issued a command: “Activate the ultimate skill—’Unyielding Ruins’!”
The broken part of the “Toy Castle” immediately transformed into steel shells that adhered to the castle, reinforcing its defense layer by layer.
Each effective attack by the “Stray Rabbit” reduced the “Toy Castle’s” mana, but its defense continued to rise layer by layer.
Finally, reaching a critical point, even with the boost from “Stray Dancer,” the “Stray Rabbit” could no longer break through the “Toy Castle’s” defense!
…
Buddy Morris couldn’t close his mouth for a long time. Both “Stray Dancer” and “Unyielding Ruins” were extremely rare ultimate skills, leaving her momentarily unable to react.
But the situation on the field did not stop because of her pause.
After the cooldown period for her usual summoning spell ended, Rose immediately initiated a second summon.
The second Mana Guidance Ball that appeared in the red side summoning area was indeed the “Scale Worm” she had summoned last night.
The “Scale Worm” looked like a palm-sized golden beetle, with a glowing gland at its tail that emitted different colors according to different melodies.
Although it was a three-star Mana Guidance Ball, apart from defense, all other attributes were extremely low, and its ultimate skill was not powerful.
[Card Name: Scale Worm]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ???]
[Race: Insect Type]
[Attribute: Insect Type]
[Mana: 700]
[Attack: 300]
[Defense: 1400]
[Ultimate Skills: Soundproof Barrier, Scale Parade]
Despite its decent defense, its tiny body prevented it from serving as a shield for the Mana Guidance Ball.
In Rose’s deck, “Scale Worm” was mainly used for sacrifice purposes and as auxiliary support for the “Mobius Worm.”
But her hand did not have a “Mobius Worm.”
…
Though delayed, Robert also summoned his second Mana Guidance Ball within the first round.
It was a steel ratman with only half of its face covered in fur, manifesting on the “Toy Castle.”
This was not the two-star “Semi-Mechanical Rodent,” but rather the three-star Mana Guidance Ball Robert created during his holiday— “Steel Gun Ratman”!
[Card Name: Steel Gun Ratman]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ???]
[Race: Mechanical Type]
[Attribute: Steel Attribute]
[Mana: 1300]
[Attack: 1300]
[Defense: 1400]
[Ultimate Skills: Steel Bullet, Gold Eater]
The moment the “Steel Gun Ratman” appeared, it removed a metal-made thick gun from its back, with the left mechanical eye flashing cold red light, aiming the steel bullet at the “Stray Rabbit” wildly slashing at the “Toy Castle.”
“BOOM!”
A gunshot rang out.
The metal projectile shot from the “Steel Bullet” instantly pierced through the “Stray Rabbit’s” body.
Even though the “Stray Rabbit” had dodged under Rose’s emergency command, its side abdomen was still hit, causing a large amount of mana to drain away.
“Fall back!”
Rose’s gaze flashed, choosing conservative tactics between aggressiveness and conservatism.
The “Stray Rabbit” immediately retreated sharply.
“Bang bang bang!”
The “Steel Gun Ratman” suddenly lifted the “Steel Bullet” and fired three shots in succession.
Each shot consumed one hundred points of mana, reducing it to nine hundred points after four shots.
But except for the first shot, the next three missed.
With the boost from “Enhanced Leg Power,” the “Stray Rabbit” moved very quickly, and the injury to its side did not affect it.
And after several misses, the “Steel Gun Ratman” stopped shooting, narrowing its eyes and aiming at the “Stray Rabbit.”
…
“Drip drip!”
…
One round passed in a blink.
Both sides drew cards simultaneously.
“Mana Summoning!”
After adding two Mana Guidance Cards each to their hand, the two contestants summoned again.
Rose raised her hand and summoned a third Mana Guidance Ball in the red side summoning area.
It was still not the “Mobius Worm,” but a humanoid Mana Guidance Ball entirely composed of ice!
[Card Name: Winter Ice Person]
[Level: ???]
[Race: Elemental Species]
[Attribute: Ice Element]
[Mana: 1100]
[Attack: 1100]
[Defense: 1500]
[Ultimate Skills: Winter Frost Armor, Winter Guardian]
This high-defense golem was the type that Rose frequently used in the Dueling Club’s recruitment matches.
“My field already has three golems.”
After successfully summoning, Rose lifted her head, her usually cold voice amplified by the amplification device.
Robert on the opposite competitor platform quickly completed his summoning before shouting, “The duel has just begun!”
Yet, on the blue side’s summoning area, a humanoid golem made of steel stood up straight.
[Card Name: Steel Fist Fighter]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ???]
[Race: Elemental Species]
[Attributes: Steel/Combat]
[Mana: 1100]
[Attack: 1500]
[Defense: 1500]
[Ultimate Skills: Steel Fist, Steel Armor Defense]
This golem, also an elemental species like “Winter Ice Man,” had a similar build but a completely different body composition compared to “Winter Ice Man.”
One was formed from ice, while the other was assembled from steel.
“Steel Fist, Steel Armor Defense!”
A dazzling light illuminated the body of the “Steel Fist Fighter,” forming a dense layer of steel armor that made its originally slender body more robust and enhanced its defense.
Robert immediately issued further commands, making the “Steel Gun Ratman” and “Steel Fist Fighter” charge into the red zone to launch an attack.
In the red zone, “Winter Ice Man” stood in front of the Mana Guidance Ball, emitting extremely cold air that coalesced into armor.
The nearly depleted “Wandering Rabbit” and the palm-sized “Scale Worm” were positioned on either side of its body.
The three golems stood in a triangular formation, forming a battle array.
Rose chuckled lightly and raised one of her Mana Cards toward the sky!
In the recruitment matches of the Dueling Club, once she successfully activated this Mana Card, no golem would fall on her field ever again.
…
“Is it coming? Rose Florette’s triangle defense.”
Professor Pavar Jones leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and whispered with narrowed eyes.
“In the early stages of second year, her defense is indeed hard to break through.”
…
“Come on!↖（^ω^）↗ Go, Rose!”
Diana waved her signboard vigorously, the pink rabbit on it looking delicate and cute.
Dark watched the match intently, but most of his attention was on Robert.
He wanted to see if Robert had a strategy to counter it.
That would bring him some surprise.
Life would be more flavorful with a little more surprise.
…
“In the name of Rose Florette, Mana Summoning — ‘Aurora Link’!”
A rainbow-colored aurora fell from the sky, transforming into a chain of light that entered the bodies of the three golems.
The mana of the three golems fused together under the effect of the “Aurora Link.”
Every three seconds, a beam of aurora would descend from the sky, healing the three golems connected in the link.
Rose’s eyes shone with confidence.
The fully restored “Wandering Rabbit” raised its crowbar and charged at the “Steel Fist Fighter” and “Steel Gun Ratman” with a sinister grin.
“Winter Ice Man” clapped its hands together, and a light ball condensed in its palms shot out, hitting the “Wandering Rabbit’s” back and covering it with a “Winter Frost Armor”!
With the ice-blue armor, the “Wandering Rabbit’s” frail body was strengthened, and its biggest weakness was compensated for.
It stared with bloodshot eyes, revealing madness, and fearlessly swung its crowbar at the towering “Steel Fist Fighter”!
“Bang!”
The “Steel Fist Fighter” with “Steel Armor Defense” was invincible. It countered with its “Steel Fist.”
However, every punch landing on the “Wandering Rabbit” was affected by the coldness of the “Winter Frost Armor,” slowing down its attack speed.
The damage it inflicted on the “Wandering Rabbit” was negligible after sharing, and one aurora beam could heal it instantly.
As the balance shifted, the originally superior “Steel Fist Fighter” was being brutally suppressed by the “Wandering Rabbit.” Even with the “Steel Gun Ratman” firing from behind, it couldn’t change the overall situation.
The total mana value of the “Wandering Rabbit,” “Scale Worm,” and “Winter Ice Man” was 2900.
Unless someone had the power to instantly eliminate one of the golems within three seconds or had the ability to break the “Aurora Link,” it was impossible to break through this absolute triangular defense.
Robert seemed fierce in appearance, but he lacked the ability to break it.
…
“I thought Robert had some hidden tricks, but there aren’t any?”
Dark was stunned and felt a bit disappointed.
It seemed Robert did not include the Mana Card left by the vampire Vlad in his deck. Otherwise, just using a ritual card to summon the “Vampire Count” would have been a violent solution.
Given the current situation, Robert could only barely hold on with the strong defense of the “Steel Fist Fighter.” Once it was broken, the immobile “Toy Castle” would be nothing more than tough bones to crack.
Clearly, he should not have rashly sent the “Steel Fist Fighter” and “Steel Gun Ratman” to assault given that Rose had “Aurora Link.”
But if it was Robert’s actions…
Perhaps it wasn’t so hard to accept?
Dark fell silent.
He glanced sideways at Wit nearby, who was punching at empty space instead of lying down and waiting to die.
“Could it be…”
Dark couldn’t help but look back at the arena again.
…
With a sharp insect cry, the “Scale Worm’s” “Soundproof Barrier” instantly activated, enveloping the area where the “Steel Fist Fighter” and “Wandering Rabbit” were located, preventing both sides’ commands from passing through.
Did this cut off Robert’s hope of turning the tables?
But Robert did not give up.
An excitement even appeared in his eyes.
“Steel Gun Ratman, single soldier breakthrough!”
The “Steel Gun Ratman” following from a distance was not enclosed by the “Soundproof Barrier.”
He intentionally did this.
Knowing that Rose would use the “Soundproof Barrier” to be safe, with the “Soundproof Barrier” trapping the “Steel Fist Fighter” and “Wandering Rabbit,” the “Steel Gun Ratman” and the red Mana Guidance Ball were left with only the “Winter Ice Man” and “Scale Worm.”
With the “Steel Gun Ratman’s” attack, it would only take two shots to shatter the “Life Barrier” of the red Mana Guidance Ball!
Robert concentrated sharply, tightly pinching a new Mana Card between his fingers.
As he said.
His duel was just beginning!
