God of the Battlefield #1
Suddenly, a Battle Table rose up in the center of the banquet hall. Two young men stepped up to either side of it.
One of them, Maximilian Spinola, was the picture of a perfect noble scion. His platinum blond hair was immaculately swept back without a single strand out of place, and his blue eyes had sunk into a cold chill ahead of the duel.
With his family prestige and skills backing up that striking appearance, he drew admiration from the male students and excited squeals from the females.
Meanwhile, the young man facing him—Ricardo Bardi.
The gazes turned his way were a bit more complicated than those for Maximilian.
He didn't lose out in looks. His unusually well-honed physique and the precarious aura that seemed like it might scatter at any moment created a striking contrast, stirring maternal instincts in the girls. To those with particular tastes, he felt even more appealing than Maximilian.
But as Princess Daphne and Maximilian had said, the most important thing at Federico Academy—and in this society—was one's prowess in Magic & Creature.
In that sense, Ricardo was a formidable rival to the Nicola Class students.
The first-year freshmen had seen his duels with their own eyes, so they were less rattled. But the second- and third-years had only heard rumors, making him feel all the more threatening.
Even those confident in their own skills, including Princess Daphne herself, felt the same deep down. So the looks directed at Ricardo held more jealousy and wariness than pure goodwill.
"Without Professor Medici's dice, we'll use the Battle Table's system instead..."
"No need for that."
As Maximilian reached for the Battle Table's button, a weary voice cut across the hall.
Black hair hanging down to his eyebrows, a bushy beard. Eyes half-lidded but visibly bloodshot—a dead-eyed man.
It was Professor Georgia.
The hall fell silent for a moment at the arrival of the man who'd just dunked an executive.
Paying it no mind, Professor Georgia scratched his head with a listless expression.
"Isn't a banquet for eating, drinking, and having fun? What's with the dueling... Bardi."
"Yes, Professor."
"Body holding up? You good to go?"
"Of course."
"Confident you won't miss class this time?"
"Uh, probably."
Ricardo gave a faint smile, rolling his red eyes. Professor Georgia's eyebrow twitched.
"Probably?"
"A weekend of rest will do it."
"Tch..."
That's not 'holding up'... Professor Georgia muttered under his breath, then fixed Ricardo with a straight stare.
"Nothing beats real combat for building mental fortitude. I won't deny that. But training and overexertion are different beasts. You know that, right?"
"Of course."
"You sure got a mouth on you."
After a short scolding, he let out a deep sigh and pulled a magical die from his pocket.
"You all know the drill—Professor Medici's dice decides turn order. No complaints?"
There wouldn't be any. Taking the students' silence as assent, Georgia gave the die a casual flick.
The result: Ricardo got a 7. Maximilian a 10.
Ricardo Bardi: 7
Maximilian Spinola: 10
First Turn: Maximilian Spinola
"First turn to Maximilian. Begin."
"Understood."
"Alright then..."
──Duel!
Their voices rang out together through the hall, and Maximilian drew his fifth card first.
"My turn."
His quick, cool gaze scanned his hand. His long fingers promptly plucked one card.
"A knight is as a god of the battlefield. Behold his power. I activate the magic circle, Horn of Reinforcement."
"⟨ Horn of Reinforcement ⟩"
Ruuuuum──.
A heavy horn blast echoed out. A card popped from Maximilian's deck.
"I retrieve a Rank 2 or lower Warrior-type Creature from my deck to hand. I add Vanguard Knight - Lion Heart to hand and summon it right away."
His fingers snatched the emerging card, tracing a graceful arc in the air before slamming it onto the field.
Hoofbeats and clanging steel plate followed in quick succession. At last, their owner appeared on the field, radiating valiant fury.
A helmet adorned with lion-mane fur. Crimson full plate armor encasing a massive frame. Mounted on a steed draped in matching red barding, [Vanguard Knight - Lion Heart] raised his pointed cavalry lance.
★2 / Earth / Warrior
Stats: 1,700
"That's the famous Vanguard Knight from the rumors."
"You know it, Eden~?"
"Mm, quite renowned. Senior Spinola leads with it almost every duel."
"Ahh~ Lives up to the hype, huh~."
As Eden and Adella chatted like always, Maximilian pressed on.
"I activate Lion Heart's special ability. When successfully summoned, I gain the right to summon a Rank 2 or lower Warrior-type Creature from hand."
The card Maximilian lifted from hand: a second [Lion Heart].
"I call another Vanguard Knight - Lion Heart. At this moment, the second Lion Heart's special ability does not activate."
The second [Lion Heart] thrust his lance skyward in boast, and a new knight appeared.
"I summon Squire - Squire Elliot."
Hoofbeats rang out again. Soon, a man in chain mail appeared behind the two Vanguard Knights.
Unlike the fully helmeted Lion Hearts, [Squire Elliot]'s youthful face peeked through.
★2 / Earth / Warrior
Stats: 1,500
"Squire Elliot's special ability: While on field, boosts stats of all Warrior-type Creatures in my zone by 300."
[Squire Elliot] thumped a small drum. The uplifting rhythm fired up the warhorses carrying the three knights, who snorted and pawed the ground fiercely.
★2 / Earth / Warrior
Stats: 2,000
★2 / Earth / Warrior
Stats: 1,800
"Three Creatures in one turn!"
"As expected of Young Master Spinola. Impeccable firepower!"
The students gasped in awe. Maximilian brushed it off like it was nothing, set down one magic circle, and ended his turn matter-of-factly.
Maximilian Spinola
Hand: 1 | Soul Points: 5,000 | Mana Crystals: 0
"My turn."
"Yeah. Draw your sword named 'card' from the deck!"
Ricardo flinched just as he was about to draw.
No one knew why. Professor Georgia, watching quietly, turned at the heavy footsteps thudding against the marble floor.
A massive turtle was shambling slowly toward them—a size that made the vast banquet hall feel oppressively dense.
"You've arrived, Professor Beltum."
"Greetings─ Professor Georgia."
Astonishingly, the turtle spoke. In a deep, resonant voice laced with gravitas.
He was a magical beast born from some ancient sage's psyche, a rare case who hadn't vanished after his master's death but survived.
He'd declared he'd carry on his master's will, come to Federico Academy to teach, and this year marked 83 years as a veteran professor.
"That─ boy?"
Professor Beltum blinked his huge eyes slowly. Eyes gleaming mysteriously like his old master reflected the ashen boy in full.
"Yes."
Professor Georgia nodded curtly.
He'd asked Beltum for help with Ricardo, who collapsed from mental exhaustion after every duel, but various issues had delayed introducing his student until now.
Beltum had spent a human lifetime in academia. (Turtle though he was.) Georgia hoped inwardly he'd be a great aid to his pupil.
"Let us─ see him in action."
Beltum settled into place with slow deliberation. The hall shook with a thud from his immense weight.
At that moment, Ricardo drew his first card.
"I summon Machinery Black Panther - K-2 Black Panther."
A beast of intricate machinery leaped onto the battle field.
Red camera eyes pulsing with extension and contraction. Endless tracks whirring behind its four legs, a massive turret on its back.
Its once-camouflaged body was now scarred black from war's inferno, cloaked in rough gunmetal.
★2 / Earth / Machinery, Beast
Stats: 2,100
Its stats: a whopping 2,100. For an unboosted Rank 2 Creature, this mechanical beast wielded peerless power. It glared at the knights, drooling thick black saliva from its maw.
"Battle."
No—more precisely.
At its prey.