God of the Battlefield #2: "Battle! K-2 Black Panther, Assault on Squire Elliott!"
“Battle! Attack Squire Elliott with the K-2 Black Panther!”
—Krooong!—
With Ricardo's declaration, the [K-2 Black Panther] roared and charged forward, its form like a streak of black lightning.
Leaping effortlessly over the reflexive spear thrusts from the two [Lion Hearts], the mechanical beast pounced straight at the dazed-faced [Squire Elliott].
Just as its oil-scented maw was about to tear into the Squire's nape, Maximilian made his move.
“I'll activate the pre-set magic circle, Side Change.”
【Maximilian Spinola】 Mana Crystals: 1 → 0
Maximilian flipped up the set card and held it high for his opponent to see.
At that instant, one of the [Vanguard Knights] suddenly vanished from sight.
“What? The Lion Heart disappeared!”
“It's the effect of Side Change.”
“Side Change?”
“Mm.”
Eden nodded with his characteristically rigid expression.
[Side Change] wasn't one of Maximilian's Origin Cards but a Support Card available in limited quantities on the market.
Thus, even first-year freshmen could look up its details if they put their minds to it.
Of course, that implied the student next to Eden had been negligent in their research... But with Ricardo's duel ongoing, Eden saw no need to point out study habits and disrupt focus. He simply pressed on with his steadfast explanation.
“Side Change returns one of your own field's Creatures to the hand and Special Summons another Creature of the same Rank and Type from your hand, excluding the returned one. It's a magic circle effect.”
“Ah... Wait, Lion Heart is Rank 2...”
“So the new one will be another Rank 2 Warrior-Type Creature.”
Just as Eden predicted, as the [Lion Heart] vanished and the [K-2 Black Panther]'s fangs closed in to sever the [Squire]'s breath—
“I'll Special Summon Ironwall Knight - Wolf.”
A knight clad in armor twice as thick as the [Lion Heart]'s, armed with a tower shield the size of an average adult man, blocked the mechanical beast's path.
★2 / Earth Type / Warrior-Type
Status: 1,800 → 2,100
Thud!
—Grrr...!
A heavy impact echoed, and the thwarted [K-2 Black Panther] retreated with a dissatisfied growl. Its red camera eyes rapidly dilated and contracted.
“Wolf's Special Ability: Once per turn, it can negate an opposing Creature's attack. You won't topple my knights so easily.”
“Is that so?”
“What?”
Ricardo tossed back a loaded retort, then drew a card from his hand.
“At this moment, I'll activate the field-wide magic circle, Supporting Fire. If my Creature fails to defeat an opponent's via battle, I can Special Summon a Rank 1 Creature of the same Type from my Deck.”
Slide. A card peeked from the top of his Deck. Without hesitation, Ricardo plucked it and slammed it onto the Battle Table.
“What I'm summoning is Terraforming Drone!”
★1 / Wind Type / Machinery-Type
Status: 400
Vroooom!
Amid a deafening propeller whine, a rusty, rickety drone materialized and dropped a translucent green capsule onto Ricardo's field from its underbelly.
“With Terraforming Drone's Special Ability, I can deploy one Zone Card from my entire Deck.”
“That means...”
“Deploying Lost World from the Deck!”
Rumble rumble rumble...!
The earth shook violently, cracking open to reveal the grotesque corpse of a dead ancient world rising from below.
“The moment [Lost World] deploys, I can deploy the magic circle Rusty Factory from my Deck without Mana Crystals.”
[Lost World]
Ruined landscape with flowers symbolizing fulfillment. Deploys Rusty Factory for free.
A rusty factory district claimed a slot on [Lost World], its central tower topped with a gauge panel.
“Hm...”
Professor Beltum narrowed his massive eyes and let out an ambiguous grunt.
It sounded ominous even in description alone, but he hadn't expected this level. So read the old turtle's face.
Of course, that didn't halt the duel.
“Deploying a Zone like that...”
“Hm...”
“What's up~ Eden~?”
“Curious.”
“What is?”
“Spit it out clearly, Rogers!”
Prodded by the students, Eden spoke.
“Deploying the Zone is fine, but if that's all, it doesn't quite fit the card name 'Supporting Fire.'”
“Huh? Now that you mention it...”
“Is there more to the effect?”
As if to resolve his doubt, Ricardo continued.
“Plus Supporting Fire's effect! This turn, one of my Creatures that failed to defeat an opponent in battle gains half the Status of the Rank 1 Creature Special Summoned by Supporting Fire's effect and gets one additional attack.”
“!”
“The Terraforming Drone I summoned via Supporting Fire has 400 Status. Thus, the K-2 Black Panther gets a +200 Status boost—half of that—and gains the right to attack once more.”
—Kraaaang!—
★2 / Earth Type / Machinery, Beast-Type
Status: 2,100 → 2,300
“K-2 Black Panther, attack Squire Elliott once more!”
Vrooom!
The [Terraforming Drone] surged ahead of the [K-2 Black Panther] toward the knights' formation.
The drone's suppressive fire lacked raw power but was enough to seize the knights' attention for a split second.
In that gap, the [K-2 Black Panther] melted into the shadows, waiting for its moment—then lunged as the [Squire]'s back lay exposed.
Crunch!
As the mechanical beast's jaws clamped the Squire's nape, a gruesome sound rang out. The boys grimaced; some girls shrieked shrilly.
The [Squire Elliott] collapsed with that same dumbstruck expression, looking astonishingly serene—as if he hadn't even realized he'd died.
But the mechanical beast showed no mercy. Pinning the fallen foe, the [K-2 Black Panther] aimed its back-mounted turret.
Boom!
A short blast and flash later, [Squire Elliott] vanished for good.
“Tch...”
【Maximilian Spinola】 Soul Points: 5,000 → 3,200
Maximilian's refined features twisted slightly at the steep Soul Point loss.
“...I'll set one magic circle, then end my turn.”
【Ricardo Bardi】 Hand: 2 cards / Soul Points: 5,000 / Mana Crystals: 1
And Ricardo, his face even more sunken, ended his turn.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
At once, the [Rusty Factory] summoned its workers. The [Terraforming Drone] sputtered into the factory district first, followed by the [K-2 Black Panther] smacking its lips.
Each could build 2 Factory Gauge per turn. The [Rusty Factory]'s meter hit 4.
“...My turn.”
His frown brief, Maximilian regained his cool composure. His eyes gleamed as he drew from his Deck.
“I'll deploy the magic circle, Elite Supply Unit.”
【Maximilian Spinola】 Mana Crystals: 1 → 0
“Elite Supply Unit...!”
“You know it~? Eden~?”
“Mm, among Support Cards, it's a high-performance Rare that any Warrior deck-builder covets!”
Eden spoke in a rare excited tone. Adella's eyes widened round.
“That good~?”
“Mm!”
“With Supply Unit's effect, I draw cards from my Deck equal to the number of Rank 2 or lower Warrior-Types on my field and recharge that many Mana Crystals.”
“!”
Not that there were many card games without such effects, but in Magic & Creature, hand size and Mana Crystals were critically important. More meant more options, plain and simple.
“I have two on field: Lion Heart and Wolf. So I'll draw two extra.”
Maximilian's hand swelled to three cards instantly. Mana Crystals rose to two. Ricardo's eyes widened slightly at the absurd effect.
“Additionally, I'll Special Summon Vanguard Knight - Lion Heart again. With Lion Heart's Special Ability, I'll Special Summon another Rank 2 or lower Warrior-Type from my hand.”
As the [Vanguard Knight] reappeared at the frontline, raising its lance, a massive heavy lance hurtled from afar and embedded in the field.
“What I'm summoning is Charge Knight - Black Wolf.”
Fierce hoofbeats followed. At their peak, thick arms hefted the heavy lance from the ground.
A cape of black wolf fur billowed in the wind. Slung over his shoulder, the heavy lance was too massive and crude for “lance”—more like a blunt weapon.
★2 / Darkness Type / Warrior-Type
Status: 2,000
“Plus, I'll deploy another magic circle.”
Drawing his last hand card, Maximilian placed it on the table without pause.
“Storm Lance Charge!”
In that instant, the knights' aura surged wildly. Reining in their saliva-drooling warhorses that scraped the ground, the knights formed up around [Black Wolf].
Their eyes glinted coldly beneath their helms.
【Maximilian Spinola】 Hand: 0 cards / Soul Points: 3,200 / Mana Crystals: 1