Boom—!
Warner's proud Armed Dragon was instantly destroyed. He stared blankly at his now-empty field, unable to process it.
'Where's my Armed Dragon? Where did my massive Armed Dragon go?'
High-ATK monsters were Warner's psychological support. Now that Morgan had destroyed it so easily, that pillar collapsed, and he no longer dared underestimate her. Then he remembered—the name Morgan. Wasn't that the same name as the mysterious duelist who shook the city a year ago?
He thought he'd found an easy mark, but instead, he'd picked up a blazing hot potato.
While Warner panicked, Morgan's calm voice came again. After all, Runick Flashing Fire still had follow-up effects.
"Now you can banish the top two cards of your Deck."
"Oh, and don't forget Runick Allure's effect. Since I activated a Quick-Play Spell just now, you have to banish one more."
"That's three cards total."
Warner nearly collapsed. Silently, he drew out three cards from his Deck and placed them into the Banished Zone. Counting his starting hand, earlier costs, and now seven more cards banished this turn, half his Deck was already gone. Worse, not only had he accomplished nothing, but even his Armed Dragon was destroyed.
In other words, his advantage flipped into disadvantage in an instant. At this pace, his Deck would be wiped out in just a few turns.
He had to find a way to land a fatal blow on Morgan.
So what if she was the so-called mysterious duelist?
With only a zero-ATK monster left on her field, she wasn't invincible.
Isla laughed aloud at the sight, thrilled to see the thug who once bullied her friend getting tormented by Morgan. And Morgan's deck fascinated her even more. What was a guess earlier was now confirmed: Morgan's strategy was Deck destruction.
The main tactic was using Quick-Play Spells, combined with the Continuous Spell Runick Allure. In just a few turns, Warner's Deck would hit zero before his Life Points did.
It was still a victory by rules, however, far more satisfying than winning by Life Points—for Isla, especially so.
Meanwhile, Milo found Morgan's new deck intriguing. This wasn't like her old Underworld decks, which worked as surprise gimmicks. Runick had staying power even if the strategy was revealed. Morgan's plays revolved around Spell Cards, and since they directly targeted the Deck, there was almost no way to stop her chaining Spells.
Unless someone packed Imperial Order. Though in that case, the win condition would just shift from Deck-out to Life Point burn, which hardly mattered.
Morgan's deckbuilding approach inspired Milo. Sometimes, building new decks wasn't about following conventions—it was about innovation.
As for Warner, Milo had never taken him seriously. From the start, he didn't believe Morgan would lose.
The spectators erupted, shouting excitedly. Morgan's deck had truly stunned them. Perhaps this would be the first time since entering the Academy that they saw someone lose because their Deck was emptied.
"This is eye-opening! Honestly, it's my first time seeing someone lose to Deck-out."
"How many turns do you think until his Deck is gone?"
"If it's seven cards per turn, I bet three turns."
"I'll say two. Morgan's turn isn't even over yet."
Hearing them betting on how quickly he'd lose infuriated Warner. He had never been treated like this. Clenching his fists, he glared at Morgan. He would make her pay.
Regardless, Morgan ignored his impotent rage, coolly declaring:
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Runick Slumber from my hand!"
"I skip my Battle Phase!"
"Target one face-up monster on the field. This turn, that monster cannot attack, and the first time it would be destroyed by battle or card effect, it is not destroyed. Then banish the top three cards of your opponent's Deck."
'Another three cards?!'
The entire crowd was stunned. Warner's eyes bulged as he stared at Morgan. Three more cards banished… and with Runick Allure, that made four. Eleven cards gone in one turn.
He looked down at his shrinking Deck, brows furrowed, cold sweat dripping nonstop.
If he lost by Life Points, fine. Even so, losing by Deck-out? That was unbearable.
Warner glared furiously at Morgan, yet she simply reminded him:
"What's wrong? The effect already resolved. Hurry up and banish the cards."
Gritting his teeth, his trembling hand drew four cards and banished them.
And to his despair, among them was his ace monster, Armed Dragon LV10.
His eyelid twitched violently, and he nearly roared in fury.
Now, Morgan had only two cards left in her hand. She would have to recycle next turn with Runick Fountain.
"My turn ends."
At those words, Warner's eyes lit up with hope. Finally, his turn. He'd make her pay.
Despite that, he didn't lose his head—he knew what his first step had to be. Morgan had only two cards left, and she would definitely recycle with Runick Fountain. So his first priority was destroying it.
"My turn! Draw!"
He checked his draw—and grinned. It was Cosmic Cyclone.
Even better, his hand held Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms. He could discard it with another WIND monster to search Pile Armed Dragon, climb again, then use Cosmic Cyclone to eliminate Runick Fountain.
"I activate Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms' effect from my hand!"
"By discarding this card and one WIND monster, I can add one Dragon from my Deck to my hand."
"I add Pile Armed Dragon to my hand!"
Abruptly, at that moment, Morgan suddenly played another Quick-Play Spell. With Runick Fountain on the field, she could activate Runick Spells from her hand during her opponent's turn.
"In response, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Runick Dispelling from my hand!"
"When your opponent adds a card from the Deck to the hand, except during the Draw Phase: discard one random card from their hand. Then banish the top two cards of their Deck."
Warner froze. He hadn't expected Morgan to play Spells during his turn. Adding a card to his hand had played right into her trap.
Four more cards gone, one discarded from his hand. Warner was nearly in tears.
Still, thinking he could break Morgan's lock, he suppressed his frustration and grew excited again.
"I activate the Spell Card Cosmic Cyclone from my hand!"
"I pay 1000 Life Points, then target one Spell/Trap on the field to banish it!"
"I banish your Runick Fountain!"
Because it banished instead of destroyed, Hugin the Runick Wings couldn't protect it. Runick Fountain was gone. Warner finally smiled in relief. Now, Morgan couldn't play Quick-Play Spells during his turn.
That left only her zero-ATK/DEF monster on the field.
"I activate Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms' effect in the Graveyard!"
"By banishing two Dragons and/or WIND monsters from my hand or Graveyard, except this card, Special Summon this card from my hand or Graveyard!"
He banished two monsters, and a fierce windstorm swept the field. Its gales were sharp as blades. Then a massive storm dragon appeared, its body whirling endlessly.
[Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms] Level 7│WIND│Dragon│2400 ATK / 2200 DEF
Still, summoning Tempest alone wasn't enough. Morgan's Huginn was in Defense Position, so he couldn't deal damage. He needed one more monster for a direct attack.
That monster was, of course, the Pile Armed Dragon he'd just added to his hand.
"I activate Pile Armed Dragon's effect!"
"By sending Armed Dragon Thunder LV3 from my hand to the Graveyard, I Special Summon this card from my hand!"
Pile Armed Dragon appeared once more. Warner also had Armed Dragon Lightning, a Continuous Spell, to boost its power.
And Armed Dragon Thunder LV3, sent to the Graveyard by a Dragon's effect, still had its ability.
"By Armed Dragon Thunder LV3's effect!"
"When this card is sent to the Graveyard to activate a Dragon monster's effect: draw one card."
Warner quickly drew a card, then eagerly declared battle.
"Battle! Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms, attack Huginn the Runick Wings!"
...
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