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[Frost Magic Shield: The Frost Lich releases magic power to create eight Frost Magic Shields linked to itself. Once its defenses expand, they rise by 25%, damage taken in battle is reduced by 25%, and opponents in close contact suffer faint frost damage.]
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Boosted by the [Netherworld Ice Ring] and the [Frost Scepter], the [Frost Magic Shield]'s damage reduction rose to 50%, and the defense inherited from the [Frost Lich] rose by the same 50%, which came to 3000 points of defense.
It was the [Frost Magic Shield]'s damage reduction that had let the [Frost Lich] withstand a strike from [Sin Blue-Eyes Baby Dragon]'s sword and the fourth Rollout from [Miltank].
But against Miltank's fifth [Rollout], even the indestructible [Frost Magic Shield] could hold no longer!
"BOOM!"
The crash of Miltank slamming into the [Frost Magic Shield] sounded like thunder out of a clear sky, and the nobles watching from above felt their hearts clench.
The [Frost Magic Shield], which cut damage by a full fifty percent, was suddenly webbed with dense, terrifying cracks.
The [Frost Lich], pouring everything into [Sinister Gaze], shuddered violently. The cold, malevolent light in its eyes flickered wildly, and the jewel on the [Frost Scepter] sent out ring after ring of icy blue ripples.
But the damage from Miltank's [Rollout] had already topped ten thousand points. Even halved by fifty percent, it shattered the [Frost Magic Shield] in an instant.
Trailing a fierce gale, Miltank plowed in through the collapsing shards of the shield. Riding the last of its momentum, it kept rolling forward and slammed into the side of the [Frost Lich] with a heavy thud!
The [Frost Lich] let out a piercing shriek. The glow in its eyes snapped out, and its pale, bewitching body flew backward like a kite with a cut string.
With the shield gone, it had only 2000 defense left, and not even the dregs of Miltank's strength could be withstood.
The magic Miltank had drained from Leomon plummeted just as quickly, and by the time it landed, only a sliver of health remained.
Leomon, finally free of the Frost Lich's control, shot forward like lightning. A flash of cold light, a line of sword glow drawn through the air, and the blade swept across the Frost Lich's slender neck.
As magic sprayed outward, the [Frost Lich]'s body began to fade at a pace visible to the naked eye.
The seven-star Magic Guide Spirit was about to leave the field. On the player's platform, a cruel glint crossed Angus Jeffrey's eyes. His Tribute Summon incantation was already underway.
And the [Secret Ritual Card] lying on the table was glowing with an eerie light.
The secret rite set on the [Frost Lich] beforehand finally took effect as its body collapsed.
The [Frost Lich]'s breaking-down magic suddenly drew together into a single point, forming a tiny vortex.
Then the vortex exploded, unfolding a vast magic circle across the ground.
The [Frost Scepter], still floating unbroken in the air, naturally became the core of the circle.
A faint, eerie sound rose with it, climbing swiftly from a low murmur to a high wail, until it grew unbearably shrill.
Beside it, a chill ran through Leomon, and without a moment's hesitation it swung its sword back.
As its wrist whirled to the limit, sword light rained out in thrusts, every one of them striking the floating [Frost Scepter].
With the [Frost Scepter]'s durability, it was shattered on the spot, no question.
But the magic circle beneath it did not stop turning.
The light surging from the circle flashed faster and faster, more and more dangerous.
Facing this terrifying aura bursting out of nowhere, Miltank rubbed its hands together and produced a bottle of milk.
Then it hurled the milk straight at Leomon.
"Moo!"
Leomon caught the bottle in passing and flicked off the cap, ready to drink.
But the explosion had already come.
It was an enormous blast that swept across the entire field!
Leomon's magic, already nearly spent, bottomed out in an instant.
Miltank turned and hugged the blue Magic Sphere, bracing its broad back against the force of the blast.
[Honedge] shot straight up into the sky on the blast wave, escaping danger once again.
Jeffrey's [Liyuan Ice Vulture] flew high above, guarding the red Magic Sphere.
The [Liyuan Ice Statue] simply crouched where it stood and used its Ultimate Move, [Gargoyle]. It turned into a statue of ice like a gargoyle and endured by relying on the damage reduction.
When the explosion ended, only Miltank, still standing, and the [Liyuan Ice Statue], its surface covered in fine cracks, remained on the ground.
Right on its heels, without a single gap, Jeffrey's summoning phrase rang out.
"In the name of Angus Jeffrey, Tribute Summon—[Glacial Giant Ape]!"
The [Liyuan Ice Statue] and the [Liyuan Ice Vulture] instantly turned to light and rose, fusing with the glow released from the six-star Magic Guide Spirit Card into one huge Sacrificial Summoning circle.
The Magic Guide Spirit that took shape within the circle let out an enraged roar, and its enormous body crashed onto the ground, shaking the field.
It looked like a giant ape revived from the Ice Age. Its long hair was grayish white, and its mountainous frame bulged with slabs of hard muscle.
It pounded its chest with both fists, producing a sound that shook the heavens.
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[Card Name: Glacial Giant Ape]
[Type: Spirit Card]
[Level: ✪✪✪✪✪✪]
[Race: Animal species]
[Attribute: Ice-type/Normal-type]
[Magic Power: 2500]
[Attack: 2800]
[Defense: 2800]
[Ultimate Moves: Death Charge, Glacial Roar, Berserk]
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"Glacial Giant Ape, Death Charge!"
His expression frosty, Angus Jeffrey raised the Magic Guide Card of the [Glacial Giant Ape] high and bellowed.
Every Magic Guide Spirit on the field had now been cleared away.
Only the wounded Miltank and the [Glacial Giant Ape] were left.
And Miltank, having spent all its Ultimate Moves, had no way of standing in the path of the [Glacial Giant Ape]'s charge.
The sparks of victory were already burning in Jeffrey's eyes!
But a dark-gold light that would douse that flame suddenly swirled at the spot where Leomon had fallen, and the aura of Pride burst forth.
Gatomon, who had inherited Leomon's will, landed lightly within the summoning light.
[Honedge], which had just flown up into the air, immediately gave off an excited clatter. Of its own will it wheeled around and flew straight into Gatomon's palm.
Gatomon's five fingers closed around the hilt, and a terrifying momentum erupted in an instant!
Its eyes narrowed slightly. With fierce, dancing steps, it charged at the [Glacial Giant Ape], which was in the middle of its [Death Charge]!
The airflow surging up from beneath its feet spiraled upward, coiling around its body while gathering into the [Holy Sword] in its hand.
With every step it took, a new whirlwind formed beneath its feet, and its momentum climbed another notch.
By the time it met the [Glacial Giant Ape] head-on, that momentum had reached its peak.
The wild current surging straight to the heavens made even its petite frame seem towering, and the [Honedge] in its hand gave off an edge sharp enough to cut through anything.
The [Glacial Giant Ape], having launched its [Death Charge], was no less formidable. A pitch-black aura streamed backward from its body, its eyes were dark and deep, and its face twisted like a demon's.
Yet facing such a terrifying beast, Gatomon showed no fear at all. Instead, a flicker of excitement crossed its face.
It licked the corner of its mouth and abruptly leapt. As its body left the ground, the long blade swept out at an exquisitely precise angle and cut a cross through the air.
The current bursting from the blade stretched the sword's edge to an enormous length.
A giant cross erupted with a roar.
The [Glacial Giant Ape] unleashed its true [Death Charge], and its huge body slammed into the cross. Its thick hide and flesh melted away, leaving a terrifying cross-shaped wound.
Gatomon's body shot through the wound, then halted its momentum, sheathed the long blade, flipped over to land, and took a few steps forward to bleed off the force.
It steadied its footing, turned, and glanced back.
The [Glacial Giant Ape]'s colossal body, carrying the inertia of its [Death Charge], kept moving forward, then toppled face-first, utterly insensible.
Miltank, still hugging the blue Magic Sphere, hurriedly adjusted its position.
"Rumble!"
It was as if a mountain had collapsed, and the ground shook.
Miltank nervously poked its head out of the cross-shaped wound in the [Glacial Giant Ape].
Meanwhile, the fallen beast's body gradually turned into starlight of magic and scattered in every direction.
In the silence that followed, Gatomon cut its eyes toward the red Magic Sphere in the air and struck without warning!
[Life Barrier: 2801→0]
…
Light and dark radiance shimmered over the ground.
Scattered sword glow drifted through the sky.
After several seconds, the chatter along the circular corridor suddenly burst out.
Moments ago, the nobles had thought it already remarkable that Dark could duel Angus Jeffrey this fiercely. Now they seemed to pour out every impulse they had been holding in, talking wildly like beans spilling from a sack.
The once quiet and elegant hall turned into a noisy marketplace in an instant, and the clamor of every kind of voice went on and on.
And at this very moment, Angus Jeffrey, who had played out his whole hand and still lost, could no longer hold his expression together. A terrifyingly gloomy look spread across his face.
Several young nobles behind him stepped forward and tried to comfort him.
Others merely glanced at his back, then looked with curiosity at Dark across the table.
People always favor the winner.
Felice Laman folded her arms across her chest, thinking in silence.
Unlike the Jeffrey family, the Laman family had not yet declared its stance at this point in time.
As the only child of her house, Felice often worried about "backing the wrong side."
What she saw in Dark of the Demon family now was the unshakable future of the Demon family.
With such an heir, and with the long-lived Valkyrie besides, the Demon family would probably gradually supplant those old families with their deep foundations and become the most formidable pillar of the kingdom.
And families like theirs, councilor houses that held real power but in the end fell short of the very top forces, had to consider a very practical question.
Namely:
Even if the Eldest Princess fell, would the Valkyrie fall?
That was exactly what the Laman family had been turning over all along.
Likewise, even if the First Prince fell, the Holy Church backing him would probably not fall with him.
That was what made the choice all the harder.
"Let's keep watching. Father said the Demon King execution Ritual in the middle of this month will probably have a far-reaching effect on the Holy Church's future."
Felice couldn't help narrowing her eyes, and like everyone else, she looked at the duke's son across the field.
…
Meanwhile, Dark was calmly gathering the Magic Guide Cards from the table one by one, while the girls who had crowded around behind him wore excited looks.
"I told you he'd win."
Diana looked at Aurora, beaming with smugness.
The Vampire Young Lady and the Phoenix Maiden were holding hands, just short of dancing.
Dark drew the [Magic Guide Scribe] from the deck he had put away and summoned it quickly.
Once the [Magic Guide Scribe] appeared, it began summoning the Magic Guide Spirits one by one.
Dark replenished the magic of the spirits who had worked so hard on the field.
Amid a few gasps, Gatomon stood on [Honedge] and rode the sword up from below to Dark's side.
"How did that duel feel?" Dark asked casually.
Gatomon shook its head. It wasn't satisfied.
Though it had ended the duel with [Swords Dance], Leomon would have had the same effect if it had been summoned instead.
Gatomon would rather appear partway through a duel and fight until it had nothing left, not cut down an opponent with no suspense like this.
Dark smiled faintly and agreed. "Same as me."
[Pride +1]
[Pride +1]
[Pride +1]
…
Directly across the table, Angus Jeffrey pressed down on the card table with both hands, head lowered, glaring at his own fingers.
Over the course of this duel, Jeffrey had gone through several stages of feeling: confidence at the start, wavering in the middle, and confidence regained at the end.
But just as victory seemed to be in his grasp, he had been stunned to discover that Dark had placed all four Magic Guide Cards he drew later face down on the table without even looking at them!
That kind of "contempt" was nothing short of humiliation.
What he could accept even less was that after that, Dark truly did nothing at all, and won the duel entirely on the strength of his earlier setup.
It seemed everything in this duel had been in Dark's hands from the start!
That helplessness of being completely controlled was the main reason Jeffrey's emotions had erupted so violently.
Even setting aside every factor outside the duel, he was a top fourth-year student of St. Marian's Academy, and there was no way he could accept being beaten like this by a first-year.
At this very moment, he looked back and suddenly found his petty maneuvering last school year laughable.
Everything he had done up to today made him no better than a clown.
Before real strength, all that scheming and scraping was just a joke!
Why was the First Prince's faction struggling? Because the Valkyrie stood with the Eldest Princess, of course!
"Bang!"
Jeffrey slammed a fist on the card table, then picked up his Magic Guide Cards. The gloom on his face drained away like floodwater.
When he raised his head again, his noble elegance had returned.
"Demon, this time you won."
…
Jeffrey's voice carried through the whole hall over the amplifier.
Dark turned to look at him and smiled. "You were gracious to yield, Senior."
…
…
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