The card-drawing phase ended, followed by the reveal. Simply put, it was time to put cards on the table.
The win condition was to reduce the opponent's HP to zero. The only information both players had was the number of cards.
The number, type, and power of cards were determined by MP.
Each player could equip one Attack card, one Defense card, and three Strategy cards.
Attack card types mainly enhanced card power and effects, could also increase a card's attack value cap, and had various special effects, similar to buffs.
Defense card types increased HP value caps, or added Armor values that acted as substitute HP. For example, the ladybug card Ging drew at the very beginning was a Defense card that added five Armor points.
Strategy cards, like the Dead Leaf Insect used by Ging and Pouf, had effects like concealing one's own hand count information.
Thus, neither side knew the opponent's hand count. The game mechanism itself didn't display HP and MP. Only after formal attacks did HP numbers appear, while MP remained hidden.
Originally, the Insect Cards game required at least five players to start. But the game Ging created only had two player slots, meaning Ging and Pouf could enjoy the resources meant for a minimum of five players.
This point still put Ging at a disadvantage because Pouf's MP value was higher than Ging's.
Since the strategy effect of [Dead Leaf Insect] was immediate, Ging and Pouf, upon meeting, immediately understood the other had used a Dead Leaf Insect, occupying one Strategy slot.
"Battle begins."
Pouf hovered in the air, his eyes cold.
He had some understanding of Insect Cards rules. Relying on his excessive MP value, he effortlessly seized powerful cards from resource points, naturally leaving enough MP to use all his cards.
If this were a one-on-one game, his hand count alone could completely overwhelm Ging. But he didn't adopt a nouveau riche style, he intended to steadily eliminate his opponent.
Even a lion uses full force when hunting a rabbit. This made him the most troublesome kind of enemy.
With a wave of his hand, a card with a sun pattern on its back appeared in Pouf's hand.
Cards marked with the sun pattern were instant-cast types, producing effects immediately.
A small sword mark appeared above both Ging and Pouf's heads, indicating they had entered combat.
"Activate Stag Beetle, Armor Break."
Pouf flipped the card, revealing a stag beetle with large mandibles, entirely black.
Seeing Pouf use an Armor Break effect card as his first move, a gleam flashed in Ging's eyes.
The card transformed into a pair of golden mandibles, snipping towards Ging.
At that moment, a card with a ladybug pattern emerged from within Ging's body, instantly transforming into a red-spotted ladybug shell floating before him.
The golden mandibles then clamped and shattered the ladybug shell, turning into points of light that disappeared. The shattered fragments flowed back into Ging's body.
From Ging's perspective, the Defense card slot in the lower left corner now only contained a pile of ladybug shell fragments. This indicated the equipment prepared during the card-drawing phase was damaged and could not be replaced before the battle ended.
Simultaneously, a heart symbol appeared above Ging's head, with the number '100' beside it.
Inside the heart symbol was originally a small shield with the number '5'. Now, the shield pattern was shattered, and the number '5' disappeared, meaning Ging's Armor value was gone.
'Quite decisive. It's because his margin for error is extremely high, not a trace of hesitation.' Ging thought silently.
During the card-drawing phase, he had taken a Ladybug card in front of Pouf. The Ladybug card was a Defense card, and equipping it in the slot granted five Armor points.
Of course, among Defense cards, the Ladybug was the weakest type. Even if drawn, Ging might not necessarily use it, because after combat began, Attack, Defense, and Strategy cards could not be replaced.
Thus, for the five slots, Attack, Defense, and Strategy cards, it was best to choose the strongest insect card for each.
Pouf used the Stag Beetle so decisively at the start. If Ging hadn't equipped the Ladybug card, it would mean Pouf wasted a turn, a card, and the consumed MP.
But he used it with full confidence, so Ging's Ladybug Defense card was destroyed.
Calculating with both sides' MP values, it was equivalent to Pouf using 1 point of MP to destroy Ging's 5 points of MP… a fivefold gain.
This move gave Pouf the advantage.
Even if Ging hadn't used the Ladybug card, it wouldn't have mattered much to Pouf, as his card count and MP were over three times Ging's.
"My turn. Green Fly, Reveal."
Ging summoned a card with a sun pattern… its face depicted a fly with a cluster of green compound eyes.
After using the card, the fly materialized. Green light shot from its compound eyes, enveloping Pouf.
[Card Count: 51/52]
[Attack Cards: 1]
[Defense Cards: 1]
[Strategy Cards: 3]
[Sun Cards: 38]
[Water Drop Cards: 5]
[Soil Cards: 4]
Under the green light, a row of information appeared.
This was the Green Fly's Reveal effect, displaying the opponent's card count and specific categories.
Sun Cards were instant-effect cards. Water Drop Cards were sustained-effect cards. Soil Cards were round-brewing cards.
Generally, players tried to choose Sun Cards as much as possible because Sun-type insect cards were mostly Attack cards, useful for reducing the opponent's HP. Reducing the enemy's HP to zero was the win condition.
From this, it was clear Pouf was not a novice. His distribution of card types was balanced and quite standard.
After obtaining this information, the Green Fly shattered and disappeared.
"Heh, hehehe..."
At that moment, Pouf let out a low chuckle.
Ging looked calmly at the inexplicably laughing Pouf.
Pouf retracted his wings, landing gently on the ground. He stared at Ging with eyes that seemed to have completely seen through him and said, "The Green Fly is the only insect card in the flowerbed with a Reveal effect. There are three resource points, producing four cards."
"But when I went there, the resource points were all destroyed."
"You delayed your own card-drawing opportunity to destroy three of them, keeping one for yourself."
"Your reason for doing this, I understand very clearly."
"Because you didn't want me to know your card information. Unfortunately..."
Here, Pouf summoned a Water Drop pattern card, his eyes suddenly deepening. He spoke in a condescending tone, "Even without using the Green Fly card, I can accurately determine your card information."
"17 cards. Oh, no, now you only have 16 left."
Ging looked surprised, applauded, and praised, "Impressive, you even guessed that."
Faced with Ging's praise, Pouf responded with a cold smile. "No need for bluffs. I'm certain this information is correct."
"That's right, your guess is correct. Excluding the Ladybug card you destroyed, my current card count is 16."
Ging smiled indifferently, also frankly revealing his hand. Then, looking at Pouf seriously, he said, "It seems you've perfectly utilized the three-tenths of Aura as the entry fee."
"However, I don't think I'll lose."
"..."
Hearing this, Pouf fell silent.
Indeed, he had used that three-tenths of Aura, the MP value in this game, to deduce Ging's specific card count. It was information derived through meticulous deduction.
He could even roughly deduce the specific distribution of Sun, Water Drop, and Soil cards, though the accuracy wasn't one hundred percent.
'This human's hand had been exposed. Why could he remain so calm?'
Any player with even basic Insect Cards knowledge would know that 52 cards versus 17, and having lost the initiative, the chance of winning was absolutely zero.
So, this reaction was off.
'Was it an extraordinary confidence?'
[Spiritual Message]
Pouf didn't use a card but employed his Nen Ability.
Almost invisible scales scattered, covering the area around Ging.
That was his ability, capable of reading the opponent's spiritual state based on the flow of energy.
'The feedback was that this human was indeed as he appeared… very calm. Or rather, excessively calm.'