Chapter 874: I Want to See Blood Flow Like a River 6k
Mars Kerry’s victory sent huge waves through the Dueling Arena.
For a fourth-year student to defeat a fifth-year student was already remarkable.
Furthermore, Mars Kerry defeated Regina Milton, who ranked second in the积分赛 for the【Golden Cup】!
Even in the entire history of the【Golden Cup】, such an underdog victory over a higher-ranked opponent was rare.
When Mars Kerry achieved victory, he officially entered everyone’s field of vision.
Audiences and participants who had previously ignored him were now forced to take him seriously.
Mars Kerry advanced to the quarter-finals of the【Golden Cup】as a complete underdog!
He proved that his initial declaration was not mere boasting!
…
In the subsequent interview with the defeated, the unexpectedly eliminated Regina Milton generously wished Mars well.
…
“Truly unexpected, I didn’t expect such a powerful Duelist among the fourth-years.”
Dark withdrew his gaze from the platform and couldn’t help but exclaim.
Eluria Clarissa agreed: “This year’s fourth-years are indeed impressive. Winnie from the Mana Academy and Philomena Bach from the Fool’s Academy cannot be underestimated. Just now, even if I faced Mars Kerry, I couldn’t say it would be an easy win.”
Pandora Dragon said indifferently: “It’s good we don’t have to meet.”
Eluria Clarissa glared at her immediately and said, “I’ll leave as soon as I finish watching the third match.”
Dark politely asked, “Won’t you join me at the cafeteria?”
Eluria Clarissa replied, “No thank you!”
Pandora chuckled, “I’ll wait for you tonight.”
Dark looked at the two of them and said helplessly, “My turn is next. Give me some space.”
“Then shall I go over there?” Pandora pointed to the edge of the barrier.
Eluria got up directly, moving the sofa to the side.
Dark nodded in agreement, “Sure.”
Pandora said, “Don’t feel pressured.”
Dark smiled, “That won’t do. Pressure is needed for breakthroughs.”
Pandora laughed, “Good luck.”
Dark: “Hmm.”
…
With only about twenty minutes left before the start of the third match, Dark took a deep breath and retrieved his deck, which he had already adjusted, to review it. Then, based on this foundation, he started pre-visualizing possible scenarios in his mind and thinking about strategies to deal with them.
When Mars Kerry and Regina Milton were dueling on the field earlier, Senior Pandora clearly stated that Silas Andy’s level was above Regina Milton’s.
As for Mars Kerry, it was uncertain.
They suspected that Mars Kerry still had hidden cards.
This fourth-year student from the Knight Academy indeed had something to be proud of.
Dark tapped his temple, dispelling these thoughts, and quickly threw himself into preparation.
During this time, Senior Pandora quietly listened to the music performance that had resumed.
Senior Eluria Clarissa also leaned against the sofa with closed eyes, but she was actually planning how to deal with Senior Pandora.
Outside the arena, the noise of the audience gradually subsided as people looked at the schedule projected onto the screen, eagerly anticipating the upcoming third match.
Compared to the second match, the disparity between the two duelists in the third match was even greater.
However, unlike before the second match when most people assumed the higher-grade students would win, the audience did not lean entirely towards the higher-grade students this time.
Even in the underground betting pools across various branches, many people placed their bets on the merely second-year Dark Demon.
Because in the past year, they had witnessed too many miracles from Dark Demon.
Many involved in gambling had made a fortune because of him… Of course, there were also many who climbed to rooftops, shouting “Gambling brings misfortune,” and then leaped off.
Inside the capital city’s duel venue, Claire reminded Alvaraite that the next match was Dark’s.
The Crown Prince Charles held up a Dark plushie and examined it from side to side in the sunlight.
More people who had been closely watching Dark Demon quietly took out paper and pens to record.
Inside, the circular belt.
Members of Dark Demon’s fan club were already excitedly anticipating his performance.
They looked forward to Dark Demon shining brighter than Mars Kerry on the stage and had prepared large banners to celebrate his victory.
Second and first-year students who interacted with Dark the most were all talking about it.
Of course, among them were those hoping to see Dark make a fool of himself.
On the other side, Evan Pearson and Tommy Smith were looking forward to it in just this way.
Amidst the mixed feelings of goodwill and malice, time slowly passed, and finally, the moment arrived for the third match to begin!
Two minutes before the match, Dark had already put away his neatly arranged deck, his expression serious and not relaxed.
Senior Pandora came over, and after he stood up, she tidied his collar, combed his bangs, and leaned close to his ear, whispering, “Can you feel the power?”
To be honest, Dark only felt ticklish!
But he immediately replied, “My mind is more chaotic.”
Pandora looked up at him with a slightly reproachful glance.
Dark said seriously, “If I lose, it will be your fault for distracting my thoughts.”
“Haha.” Behind them, Eluria Clarissa’s light laughter could be heard.
Dark’s expression eased, returning to his usual composure: “I’ll be right back.”
…
Pandora released the barrier.
Dark stepped out, and the staff member responsible for guiding waited beside him.
On the other side, Silas Andy was also ready.
On the host platform, Senior Judy took the stage again, raising the microphone and loudly declared, “I believe everyone has been waiting as long as Judy. But the longer the wait, the more moved one can be upon success. Now, the much-anticipated third match of the first day of the【Golden Cup】begins! Please welcome both contestants to the Competitors’ Platform! Now, let me hand the microphone to the commentators.”
On one side of the high platform in the center of the venue, two commentators, a man and a woman, sat on a floating rectangular platform, immediately taking over:
“Hello, audience friends, this is Kingsley, who aspires to become a professional commentator!”
“This is Tonja, the unprofessional commentator dragged along by Kingsley!”
“Welcome to the Saint Maryann Academy Dueling Arena. Next, we will have the fifth-year Mana Academy student Silas Andy face off against the second-year Dark Demon.
The Dark Demon from the Noble Academy, standing here to present everyone with an absolutely thrilling Mana Duel!
“Once again, we introduce them to those who are not very familiar with them.”
“First up is the Red Side competitor in this match, known as the ‘Son of the Ocean’—Silas…”
…
Amidst the voices of the two commentators, Dark and Silas Andy walked up the elevating platform under the guidance of the staff, arriving at both sides of the field.
Since Silas Andy was the one initiating the duel, he was on the Red Side.
Dark Demon, on the other hand, was on the Blue Side.
As he ascended, Dark could distinctly feel the shouts from the audience gradually intensifying.
By the time he officially stepped onto the Blue Side competitors’ platform, the spectators outside were like a boiling tide.
He was very aware that over the year, he had amassed a massive number of fans.
But many of these fans were extreme “power fans.”
If his displayed strength were to drop or fail to meet their expectations, these fans would unhesitantly turn their backs on him, or even become detractors.
The audience’s evaluation of “strength” often boiled down to the outcome of a single duel.
If he lost this duel, countless fans would surely abandon him.
Therefore, he couldn’t let himself become complacent just because he had a large fan base.
In fact, there wasn’t much to be proud of.
Dark took his deck from the card pack, placed it in the spellboard slot, and injected mana to activate it.
The projection appeared, and the amplifier turned on.
Following the etiquette of dueling, he addressed the opposite side: “Hello, Senior Andy.”
Silas Andy replied in a flat tone, “Hello, Demon student. Are you ready to receive your luck?”
Dark paused for a moment, then chuckled, “After all this time, it turns out Senior Andy still remembers.”
Silas Andy’s tone faltered, unable to speak for a while.
However, Kingsley from the commentator’s booth spoke on his behalf: “Oh my God, is Dark Demon mocking Silas Andy for being petty?”
Tonja said, “Firstly, I don’t say ‘oh my God.’ Secondly, personally, I think Silas Andy should retort. We can’t let our seniors lose face, right?”
Kingsley replied, “You just want to see people argue.”
Tonja responded, “No, I’d rather see them fight.”
[Want to see rivers of blood.jpg]
…
Silas Andy took a deep breath and finally said, “Withdraw my previous words. It can’t be denied, you are truly lucky.”
Dark was somewhat surprised, “How so?”
Silas Andy did not directly answer, “But I must tell you, luck alone cannot sway the outcome!”
Silas Andy’s expression suddenly turned serious.
He suppressed his urge to express himself, preventing any sour remarks from spilling out.
To end the conversation, he directly stated, “Enough talk, let’s start the duel!”
…
“Luck?”
Dark pondered Silas Andy’s words and finally understood.
He smiled slightly, recalling his stagnant 【Envy】 index, he whispered, “Envy is the original sin.”
…
Of course, the amplifier faithfully broadcasted his low whisper to the audience outside.
Claire, the Archbishop, who had unexpectedly arrived at the ring, repeated, “Envy is the original sin? Perhaps…”
…
Silas Andy’s face flushed with blood, biting his teeth subconsciously.
Dark’s casual sigh almost pierced through his lungs.
With his inner thoughts exposed, Silas Andy’s heart developed a crack, filled with shame and anger.
But this time, he completely shut his mouth, saying nothing.
…
Kingsley couldn’t help but comment, “I hate riddle speakers the most, always leaving things unsaid.”
Tonja immediately exclaimed, “What’s going on, Kingsley? Are you that disgusted with yourself?”
Kingsley’s face darkened, “Tonja, don’t make unfounded accusations.”
Tonja smirked, turning the microphone toward the audience, loudly asking, “Audience friends, am I making unfounded accusations?”
Naturally, there was a chorus of “no” from the audience.
…
Claire remarked, “This commentary is quite interesting. Maybe one day when the simulated duel events get bigger, we can invite them.”
Alvaraite countered, “Joking aside, I’m more curious about what exactly Andy is jealous of?”
Claire shrugged, “Jealousy is human nature. As long as it doesn’t lead to evil deeds, it’s fine. Besides, not being envied makes one mediocre.”
Alvaraite nodded in agreement, “True. After all, he’s outstanding.”
Claire shook his head, smiling wryly.
…
Yet, it couldn’t be denied that the commentators’ banter successfully masked the tension between the duelists, preventing the audience from focusing too much on the “behind-the-scenes story.”
The exchange phase of the 【Standby Phase】 finally came to an end.
“Bee—”
The referee blew the whistle as a reminder.
Silas Andy on the Red Side platform and Dark Demon on the Blue Side platform immediately reined in their stray thoughts, concentrating fully, preparing for the duel.
Regardless of any hidden conflicts between them, losing the duel would render everything meaningless.
Silas Andy held his inner thoughts tightly, waiting to vent them once he won the duel!
And Dark finally guessed the source of Silas Andy’s hostility; he no longer felt puzzled, but became even more determined about the outcome of this duel.
At this moment, neither contestant left themselves any room for retreat.
“All contestants in position, the duel enters the Standby Phase!”
The referee blew the whistle again.
On both sides of the field, the words 【Standby Phase】appeared.
Immediately after, a 【30s】 countdown appeared behind the 【Standby Phase】.
Both inside and outside the arena, it quickly fell silent.
Only the commentators’ voices remained clear.
Kingsley said, “There are thirty seconds left before the Battle Phase. Each contestant has drawn five cards. They must complete the initial tactical planning within the thirty-second countdown. Let’s guess whose luck is better by looking at their expressions.”
Tonja couldn’t help but comment, “High-level duelists have strong emotional control. How could they be easily seen through… Oh, wait, they’re laughing?”
Kingsley immediately exclaimed, “What did I say? What did I say?”
Immature! It seems that both contestants are quite satisfied with their starting hands. Perhaps the opening of this duel could directly fast-forward to the most exciting part.
…
Dark was not disturbed by the commentator’s voice.
He was indeed smiling, but it wasn’t because of his hand; it was just a polite smile.
Of course, his hand wasn’t bad.
[Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit]
[Pride IV]
[Bliss III · Moon]
[Bliss IV · Moon]
[Moon Beast]
A total of three [Capital Sin Cards], including even a defective [Pride IV]!
The other two [Bliss III · Moon] and [Bliss IV · Moon], although imperfect, were still quite good.
More importantly, among these initial five cards, he had drawn the core card of his current deck concept—the [Mana Spirit Card]—the [Moon Beast]!
[Moon Beast] was the only Mana Spirit Card, aside from [Piplup], that possessed the [Water Attribute] in Dark’s possession.
Moreover, unlike [Piplup], [Moon Beast] had a very strong potential, capable of evolving into different levels of Mana Spirits when paired with [Bliss Cards] of various tiers.
Currently, whether using [Bliss III · Moon] or [Bliss IV · Moon], it could evolve into a six-star Mana Spirit—the [Rex Beast]!
However, in battles of this level, a single [Rex Beast] did not have the ability to end the match.
Furthermore, if summoned recklessly, it would face the risk of being destroyed by the opponent.
Using [Bliss IV] to evolve [Moon Beast] into its complete form—the [New Moon Beast]—was the axis of this deck.
Therefore, before drawing [Bliss IV], he needed to ensure the safety of [Moon Beast].
But if that were the case, the only card he could summon from his hand would be the merely two-star [Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit]!
But this wasn’t the worst draw.
It was, in fact, the best draw!
…
Dark’s gaze flickered as he looked across.
This opponent in the duel was undoubtedly the toughest one he had faced so far.
Some hidden cards that had been concealed until now must finally be revealed!
…
“Instant kill in one round!”
At the same time, Silas Andy’s muttered words suddenly echoed.
Was this an unintentional slip of the tongue or a deliberate misdirection?
Regardless, the expression on Silas Andy’s face could not be faked.
…
“Drip!”
The round instantly switched.
The duel entered the Battle Phase.
[Battle Phase (1)][30s]
“In the name of Dark Demon, Mana Summoning—[Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit]!”
“In the name of Silas Andy, Mana Summoning—[Deep-sea Anglerfish]!”
Both contestants chanted their summon incantations almost simultaneously.
In just three seconds, the summoning zones on both sides lit up with dazzling light.
[Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit] and [Deep-sea Anglerfish] materialized at the same time!
…
On the commentary stage, Kingsley spoke rapidly: “It seems both contestants chose to summon Mana Spirits at the beginning of the duel. Dark Demon’s [Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit]… everyone knows, it’s not at all fairy tale-like!”
Tonja said, “In terms of not being fairy tale-like, Andy’s [Deep-sea Anglerfish] is equally formidable.”
Kingsley: “Hmph.”
…
As soon as the summon was completed, Dark turned his gaze to Silas Andy’s [Deep-sea Anglerfish].
[Deep-sea Anglerfish] was a must-have card in the [Deep-sea] series deck.
However, few duelists could successfully summon it.
Although it was only a first-tier, three-star Mana Spirit, it was already one of the representatives of “Deep-sea Terror”!
But based on surface data alone, Dark had seen it in books before.
[Card Name: Deep-sea Anglerfish]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ★★★]
[Race: Fish]
[Attribute: Water/Telekinesis]
[Mana: 1800]
[Attack: 1700]
[Defense: 900]
[Ultimate Skill: Bite, Ocean Demon, Terrifying Lantern]
The stats of [Deep-sea Anglerfish] were extremely powerful.
Typically, [Deep-sea Anglerfish] were fusions of Water and Telekinesis attributes, mastering the ultimate skills—[Bite] and [Luring Lantern]!
However, Silas Andy’s [Deep-sea Anglerfish] was different.
Moreover, in nature, [Deep-sea Anglerfish] lived in the deep sea, kilometers beneath the surface. They varied in shape, usually spherical, with large heads and rows of extremely terrifying sharp teeth, unevenly arranged, like demons.
On top of the [Deep-sea Anglerfish]’s head, there was also a tentacle with a luminous organ.
That luminous organ hung down, resembling a lantern.
[Deep-sea Anglerfish] used this to lure prey.
Thus, it was also called a lantern fish!
After transforming into a Mana Spirit Card, [Deep-sea Anglerfish] could use [Luring Lantern] to confuse the opponent and then use [Bite] to crush them.
However, Silas Andy’s [Deep-sea Anglerfish] only had the ultimate skill named [Terrifying Lantern]!
…
“Deep-sea Anglerfish, use your ultimate skill—[Terrifying Lantern]!”
Almost immediately, Silas Andy shouted loudly.
The [Deep-sea Anglerfish] had no legs and struggled to move in a waterless environment, but the coverage of its ultimate skill was vast.
Just by slightly moving its head, the “lantern” on its tentacle emitted a cold green light.
That green light illuminated the hundred-meter-long dueling arena in an instant.
The audience watching through the arena barrier felt a sense of terror.
The [Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit] that was hit by the green light let out a sudden scream, raising the newly summoned [Stump] over its head and shrinking into a ball out of fear.
“Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit, [Call Friends]!”
Dark issued the command, but it fell on deaf ears.
The [Animal of the Fairy Tale · Small Rabbit] was too scared to move.
Moreover, the green light of [Terrifying Lantern] continued to shine, seemingly a long-lasting ultimate skill!
This meant that even if he summoned [Moon Beast] again, he would still have to endure the fear created by [Terrifying Lantern].
But under such circumstances, he had to forcibly clear the field!
Three seconds passed.
Dark hesitated for only an instant before decisively starting to summon: “In the name of Dark Demon, Mana Summoning—[Moon Beast]!”
But as he summoned, Silas Andy also summoned: “In the name of Silas Andy, Mana Summoning—[Deep-sea World]!”
