Machinery's Deep-Sea Dragon - Nautilus
'Factory Gauge… That must be what he's building up.'
Alessia quietly analyzed Ricardo's strategy, her shock at the grotesque sight of Lost World fading quickly.
'The moment it hits a certain threshold, his plan comes to life.'
In that case, Cursed Marionette was a solid play.
A zero-stat card with no real effects on its own. But paired with Rampaging Black Magic, it could flood the field with up to four creatures in one go—and even if it flopped, the zero stats meant no risk on destruction.
Of course, stuffing four utterly useless cards into a deck was a massive gamble to begin with.
"At this moment, I activate another effect of Rusty Factory."
Rusty Factory
Ding—ding—ding—hiss—!!
A chimney sprouted like a poisonous mushroom atop the rusty factory, belching thick black smoke.
"By consuming three Factory Gauge points, I can summon the Vision Creature, Lost Soldier."
Vision Creatures didn't go into your actual deck and vanished on defeat instead of hitting the graveyard.
"I'll spend nine Factory Gauge points to call out three Lost Soldiers."
Clank. Clank. Clank. Screeeeech…
From inside the factory where the Cursed Marionettes had hidden each turn came eerie noises leaking out nonstop.
Even Alexander, fury boiling over, held his breath and watched. A mechanical soldier clad head to toe in rusted steel armor shuffled out, splattering black oil everywhere.
"Lost Soldiers summoned this way vanish at end of turn."
But he could use them before then. Ricardo, who hadn't smiled once since the duel began, cracked a faint grin and moved.
"Lost Soldier's special ability. Once per turn, toss three coins—if two or more heads, search your deck for a Machine-type creature and add it to hand. No card name restrictions, so multiples can trigger."
Three Lost Soldiers now prowled Ricardo's field. The Battle Table's magic executed nine coin tosses.
One of the three mechanical soldiers scouring Lost World snatched up a glowing orb.
"Lost Soldier's search hit. Got what I wanted."
Alessia was certain: this was the moment Ricardo's strategy bared its fangs.
"I tribute the three Lost Soldiers—"
The machines gathered and shattered. Beneath the wreckage, crimson light flickered.
"—to summon Machinery's Deep-Sea Dragon - Nautilus."
"What…?!"
Alexander gaped in shock as a massive silhouette rose slowly from the debris, his cry echoing.
A murky body tangled with machinery and wires—like a whale crossed with a lizard. Red camera eyes on its blunt head expanded and contracted endlessly, scanning. Jagged triple-layered teeth could chew steel.
Its stats: a whopping 3,500. Boosted by Maritime Kingdom Belluraca's field power to 4,550—an unprecedented number for a student-level duel.
—GRRROOOOAAARRR—!!
"Gasp!" "Eek…!"
Wheeeeeen…
The roar threatened to shatter the exam hall beyond the Battle Table. Lost World's blaring siren harmonized in a soul-freezing cacophony. Students shrank involuntarily.
"…A dragon?" "…?!"
Royalty Alexander and Alessia couldn't hide their trembling-eyed horror.
Dragon-types weren't mass-produced as Support Cards. They emerged only from legendary heroes' Origin Cards, like kingdom founders.
Ricardo's Nautilus looked nothing like historic dragons—grotesque, mechanical. Yet it bore the dragon name proudly.
Origin Card names reflected the psyche's monster's true rank, not human whim. No one here could deny Nautilus's stature—or its master's soul.
"…Kuh! But can that dragon snag my warriors hiding in the depths?!"
Alexander bellowed to shake off fear, voice quaking as the mechanical dragon's eye fixed on him. Still, facing draconic pressure head-on proved him a brave sea warrior.
"No. No need."
"What…?"
"No point hunting them one by one."
Alexander blinked blankly. The ash-haired boy just shifted gaze to Nautilus, answering with action.
"Go, Nautilus."
A curt, dry command. The dragon glided into the sea with impossible grace for its bulk.
"The… depths…!"
Alexander, who'd treated the ocean like his backyard, reeled. In the abyss's unreachable dark, his seabed warriors quivered in sync with their master's dread.
Anyone seeing those glowing red eyes would.
"…Atomic Bite."
As Ricardo's words dropped like a guillotine, Nautilus gaped wide. From the endless dark poured dozens of torpedoes pulsing murder.
Life's cradle, the sea—now birthing death from its depths.
KABOOMMM—!!!
The explosion rocked heaven and earth, Maritime Kingdom Belluraca atop it like a fragile boat in a gale—pitiful.
Alexander's proud sea warriors? Vaporized, not a bone left. Only the shockwaves swirled around Belluraca now.
One oddity: Nautilus's strike—and its aftermath—spared Belluraca's mainland entirely.
Few noticed amid the terror. Eyes glued to Nautilus' power.
Machinery's Deep-Sea Dragon - Nautilus' special: Consume one Factory Gauge to move, but attacks all opponent creatures once. Destroyed creature inflicts 500 Soul Point damage each.
All Enemy Creatures Destroyed
+500 Damage per Creature
Alexander's Seabed Sentinels (1,600) and Seabed Snipers (1,800), boosted to 2,080 and 2,340 by field power, converted straight to Soul Point pain.
Plus 1,000 extra from the special.
Eight centuries of royal blood. Ocean mastery tactics. Entrance exam prodigy pick—Alexander's Soul Points hit zero in one shot.
"Ngh…"
—GRRROOOOAAARRR—!!!
The giant knelt, dwarfed by defeat. Nautilus surged from the sea, roaring triumph.
"…"
"Hah… hah…"
Despite Beatrice's ragged breaths, Alessia's eyes stayed locked on Ricardo.
Why? That power terrified—yet the boy reflected in her red eyes looked fragile somehow.
As Nautilus' barrage fell, she'd glimpsed his knuckles white, hand trembling. His monotone lips clenched, enduring something.
The boy once just Alexander's punching bag now seemed burdened by an unimaginable past.
"Ricardo… Ricardo Bardi."
Her smooth lips murmured his name.
"Ngh!"
Meanwhile, the "brave sea warrior" moniker rang hollow for the loser. Alexander grimaced, rising.
The crowd held breath as he strode to Ricardo.
"…A fine duel, Ricardo Bardi."
But he extended a massive hand.
Ricardo gripped it, stunned. Belluraca's heir rumbled low—magic muffled it from others; lips barely visible.
"…That dragon of yours could've hit Belluraca itself, right?"
"…You knew?"
"Instinct. The sea's fickle—you trust gut to survive sometimes."
As Alexander said, Nautilus had options: 500 damage per destroyed creature—or skip attack, destroy one opponent card for 1,000 damage.
"Why spare Belluraca? Care to say?"
"…"
Ricardo met the prince's steady gaze, sighed deeply.
"…Just."
"Just?"
"Didn't want to strike where people live."
Odd words at first. This was a duel—Belluraca just his psyche's projection, not the real kingdom.
But the raw regret and resolve in his voice struck the prince's heart. Alexander's grim face softened into satisfaction.
"I see."
Magic faded. His heavy voice boomed to the stands.
"Your victory, Ricardo Bardi. I, Alexander Wales Belluraca, acknowledge your nobility."
The crowd erupted at the unexpected words.
"Next time, I win. I'll show cards you haven't seen."
"Looking forward to it."
Alexander grinned toothily; Ricardo returned a weary, polite smile.