The Draw is a Dire Gamble #7
“Th-this is…!”
Pollux gaped in shock.
[Sea King - Nerbarus]. It was undoubtedly Alexander’s ace card, exuding such majesty that even the [Star Beast] backed off a step, growling warily.
“Sea King - Nerbarus is also Water-type! Thus, it receives a 30% stat boost from the power of the Maritime Kingdom - Belluraca!”
【Sea King - Nerbarus】 ★5 / Water / Fish, Warrior
Stats 3,300 → 4,290
“4,290!”
“Wh-whoa~.”
Even my dragons were outmatched by this explosive stat surge, leaving the group with faces full of awe.
Indeed, back in my first duel with Alexander, my [Nautilus] had received a similar Belluraca stat correction, reaching unprecedented levels for a student card. It wasn’t quite that extreme, but breaking 4,000 was monstrous all the same.
No wonder the group was stunned.
“Not yet! Nerbarus’s special ability activates!”
“A special ability?”
“When this card is successfully summoned! I can summon up to three Rank 2 or lower Fish, Warrior creatures named ‘Abyssal’ from my deck!”
“What!?”
“However, on the turn this ability is used, Nerbarus cannot attack.”
Alexander scooped up his deck. He fanned it out with a sharp flick and pulled three cards.
“Come forth! Warriors of the sea!”
He slammed them down onto the Battle Table with force.
“Abyssal Sniper!”
Whoosh!
Unlike before, a warrior with blue, chiseled muscles and a squid-like face clutching a blowgun burst from the water’s surface. It was as if the sea’s king had deigned to appear above the waves, and his subjects couldn’t hide below.
【Abyssal Sniper】 ★2 / Water / Fish, Warrior
Stats 1,800 → 2,340
“Abyssal Shieldbearer!”
Whoosh!
Next came a turtle-like merfolk warrior.
【Abyssal Shieldbearer】 ★2 / Water / Fish, Warrior
Stats 1,700 → 2,210
“Abyssal Charger!”
Whoosh!
Last was a swordfish-faced merfolk warrior wielding a long spear.
【Abyssal Charger】 ★2 / Water / Fish, Warrior
Stats 1,900 → 2,470
The three merfolk warriors who surfaced knelt briefly before their sea king, then surrounded him in flawless battle formation.
“All my sea warriors are Water-type! Thus, they receive the Maritime Kingdom - Belluraca stat boost!”
“Four creatures over 2,000 stats in one go!”
“Incredible~.”
“Hrmm, truly the legendary Sea King of Belluraca legend. Impressive.”
“Y-yes! Indeed, Your Highness…!”
The group murmured in admiration. Even that Beatrice nodded along with Alessia without her usual whimpering!
“Hah, hahaha!”
Meanwhile, Pollux, who had swallowed his tension, let out a booming laugh to shake it off.
“Truly magnificent, Alexander Wales Belluraca!”
“UHAHAHA! So it seems!”
“Aye! Come at me! Nerbarus can’t attack this turn, but the others can!”
“Very well! Take this, Pollux! I attack the Star Beast - Dican with Abyssal Charger!”
The swordfish-headed [Abyssal Charger] bowed once to his king, then charged straight at [Dican].
His speed slicing through the water was like a bullet.
“At this moment! Abyssal Charger’s special ability activates!”
“That one has a special ability too!?”
“Indeed! When Abyssal Charger is the first to attack on a turn where another Water-type creature exists in my field, its stats rise by an additional 300!”
“That means…”
【Abyssal Charger】
Stats 2,470 → 2,770
The [Charger] closed in on [Dican] in a flash. His blue muscles bulged as he gripped his spear.
Screeech!
The [Charger] unleashed his explosive power fully. His arm thrust the spear forward, aiming for [Dican’s] throat.
At the same time, the stars forming [Star Beast’s] skeleton twinkled. He let the starlight flooding his surface erupt outward without restraint.
BOOM!
Collision.
[Dican’s] starlight clashed with the [Charger’s] spear, creating a massive shockwave.
Whoosh…
Then, waves crashed over both. [Dican], already pouring everything into the [Charger], couldn’t repel them.
Dark seawater ensnared the [Star Beast]. Its radiant starlight was briefly shrouded by the thick water barrier. Meanwhile, the sea warrior [Charger] gained even more vigor, pushing his spear with renewed force.
Kreeee… CRACK!
Finally, the [Charger’s] spear pierced through [Dican’s] starlight and throat.
“-Grooo…”
[Dican] let out a mournful cry as it crumbled. Its starlight scattered into fragments on the sea breeze.
“Ngh…! Sorry, Dican…!”
【Pollux】 Soul Points 5,000 → 2,400
Pollux groaned an apology to his fallen [Dican]. His Soul Points took a massive hit.
“Hrm.”
“What’s up~ Eden~?”
“No, just puzzled. When the Specter Jelly attacked earlier, he glanced at the magic circle from the previous turn. I assumed it was a counterattack trigger.”
“Ah~ So you thought it odd he didn’t deploy it~?”
“Mm. Dican’s at 2,600 stats. Powerful, but the battle destruction cost is far higher than Carne’s.”
“Protecting Carne to reuse that ability next turn, maybe.”
“Likely. But it feels unstable.”
“Means he’s confident in his draws.”
As the group analyzed the log and shared theories, I stepped back to survey the field.
More precisely, the lingering star dust from [Dican] still on the field.
Since it hadn’t vanished, perhaps [Dican] still had a role to play. That’s what crossed my mind.
“Pressing on! I attack with Abyssal Sniper!”
The lanky, hollow blowgun clamped in the [Sniper’s] mouth as he knelt in firing position.
His aim: the purple-robed spectral maiden, [Carne].
She was still paralyzed from the prior [Sea Wraith - Specter Jelly] ability.
“Not on my watch! Magic circle deploy! Magic Library!”
As if vowing to protect [Carne] at all costs, Pollux flipped a set card face-up.
“With Magic Library’s effect, I draw 1 card from my deck! If it’s a magic circle card, I send it to the graveyard and apply its activation effect!”
【Pollux】 Mana Crystals 4 → 3
[Magic Library] was a support card I owned a few of myself, though not in my deck.
But with Pollux’s draw prowess, it could ambush-deploy magic circles not yet in hand.
And since it applied the ‘activation effect,’ no extra Mana Crystals needed.
“My card is—”
Pollux drew one. His tense face lit up instantly.
“—Astral Eye! This turn, one of my creatures cannot be destroyed by battle!”
“Mm!”
Purple light flashed beneath [Astrologer - Carne’s] inverted robe.
As if she knew the attack’s trajectory, her paralyzed body moved first. Her gaze fixed skyward.
The [Abyssal Sniper’s] poison dart whizzed past, grazing empty air by a hair’s breadth.
“Astral Eye still has effect left. I must declare a card name. I declare Destiny Draw!”
Pollux placed a finger atop his deck.
“Then I draw 1 card. If it matches the declared card! I add it to my hand. If not, I discard it to the graveyard, take 1,000 damage, and must destroy my battle-immune creature!”
Would reading heaven’s will cost his soul? Or seize a new chance?
At that crossroads, Pollux swallowed hard.