The Climbing Serpent #5: A New Origin Card...?

Diego's eyes rapidly scanned the card's information. They widened further.

'This... no way...'

It was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠faint, but an unmistakable spark of growth. Diego decided to trust it.

"Here I go! I summon Ebogorgon - Hatching Drake!"

In an instant, lightning surged from the depths of the violet swamp.

The wildly flickering thunderbolts converged into a single point, forming the shape of a small serpent.

Scales shimmering like lightning, a slender body. What was astonishing was the tiny limbs and wings sprouting from it.

"Diego, you can become a dragon."

"Mother..."

Diego pulled his mother's locket from his pocket and gently stroked it with his finger. A gesture filled with longing.

"I'm a snake."

The same words he'd spoken earlier while lost in the Bewitching Forest. But the tone was utterly different.

"For now."

The boy, with the small spark in his heart reignited, whispered it like a vow.

"Here I go, monkey! I activate the special ability of Chain Gorgon!"

Chain Gorgon had two special abilities.

One reduced an opponent's creature's status by 1,000 if destroyed in battle.

And the other—

"On my turn, I can equip this card to one opponent creature! The target is, of course, Guardian Black Bigfoot!"

Clang!

Chain Gorgon shot forward like an arrow. The clanging of metal links echoed loudly. Guardian Black Bigfoot swung its club clumsily, as if chasing a fly, but Chain Gorgon gracefully coiled up its arm.

—Groooar...!

Soon, Chain Gorgon wrapped tightly around Bigfoot's body. As if cheering it on, it glanced at Hatching Drake once, then bit its own tail.

"A creature equipped with Chain Gorgon cannot attack!"

"Kieeeek!"

"I set one magic circle and end my turn!"

[My turn! I'll attack Ebogorgon - Hatching Drake with Mist Monkey!]

Whoosh...

Mist Monkey transformed its body into mist and swiftly crossed the violet swamp.

Its target: the tiny lightning serpent curled up like a fetus.

But even that immature serpent was no match for Mist Monkey.

Mist Monkey was Water type, Hatching Drake Lightning type.

Lightning held advantage over Water, so Hatching Drake's status rose by 500 instantly.

Bzzzzt!!

Hatching Drake slowly uncurled its eyes. Sparks flew from its half-opened pupils, lightning arcing everywhere.

Mist Monkey's base status was a mere 900.

It couldn't beat Hatching Drake even with the Gorgon Swamp bonus, and now type advantage piled on.

Its misty form meant nothing; the lightning pierced and evaporated it completely.

The pity was that AS-1023—precisely, the magitech device on the monkey's head—intended exactly that.

[And I select another Mist Monkey from the deck and summon it without using a summon right!]

Whoosh...

The recruit ability triggered again. New mist gathered over the toxic swamp, forming another small monkey.

—Grrr...!!

Clank! Clank!

Meanwhile, Guardian Black Bigfoot thrashed, bound by Chain Gorgon. Its reverse eyes flashed with rage.

Diego watched silently, but inwardly questioned it.

'Why attack?'

Sure, Mist Monkey's recruit synergized well with Guardian Black Bigfoot.

But that only worked if Bigfoot could attack.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

With it chained now, why sacrifice Mist Monkey?

Main deck allowed up to 4 identical cards. This was the fourth Mist Monkey, so AS-1023's deck had no more.

If Diego took it down next turn, no more Bigfoot-Mist Monkey combo.

Unless it had something absurd like Ricardo's Libertas recycling graves—but AS-1023, never meeting him, unlikely.

Support cards topped at recycling magic circles like Grave Looter - Heratu.

'Maybe, just maybe...'

A hunch flashed; Diego's eyes narrowed.

As if responding, AS-1023 drew a card from hand.

[At this moment, I deploy a magic circle! Echo of the Forest card!]

'Echo of the Forest...!'

Diego's eyes widened slightly.

Echo of the Forest. A famous support for Beast creatures.

[When a Beast creature in my field is destroyed in battle and sent to grave! Select 1 Beast from deck to hand!]

No rank limit on the Beast pulled.

High-rank Beasts easily to hand.

[I'll take the second Guardian Black Bigfoot!]

'It had another one...!'

Origin cards weren't always unique; some generated multiples.

Like Ricardo's Terraforming Drone, Alexander's Abyssal Sniper, Diego's Snake Shaman - Gorgon Witch Doctor.

But AS-1023, psyche not developed enough for Origin aces, multiples?

Considering the imagery birthed Guardian Black Bigfoot from pack-living monkeys, not impossible.

Still, unexpected; tension etched Diego's face.

[With Mist Monkey, attack Hatching Drake again!]

Attack repeated. Outcome same.

Hatching Drake's lightning flashed; misty Mist Monkey evaporated.

But one difference.

[At this moment, activate Guardian Black Bigfoot's special ability from hand!]

The forest guardian, enraged by death.

[A Beast in my field destroyed in battle, so pay 1,000 Soul Points and summon second Guardian Black Bigfoot without tribute! And recover Soul Points with Mist Monkey's ability!]

Thud—!

—Kroooaaar—!!

Tough wire-like fur, crude wooden club in one hand, another 3m+ ape appeared.

[Battle! Attack Hatching Drake with Guardian Black Bigfoot!]

Now, type matchup fully reversed.

Unlike Mist Monkey, Bigfoot Earth type advantaged vs Lightning, status +500.

Bigfoot's rocky muscles swelled. Hatching Drake instinctively shot lightning, but couldn't pierce the tough hide.

Thus, as Bigfoot's club swung like an iron mace to crush the newborn evolution—Diego activated his set card.

"Then I deploy my set magic circle, Venom Barrier! With Gorgon Swamp on my field, consume 1 Venom Gauge to prevent one of my Serpent creatures from battle destruction once!"

This effect ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠once per turn, not blocking attacks like Swamp Overflow, so useless vs Mist Monkey.

But with no more Mist Monkey, Bigfoot couldn't chain attack this turn. Fine.

Key was protecting Hatching Drake.

Whoosh—!

Violet swamp surged, shielding Hatching Drake.

Bigfoot swung irritably, but even its strength couldn't shatter the hardened swamp barrier.

[...I end my turn!]

No other plays, AS-1023 ended immediately. Diego placed hand on deck.

"My turn! At this moment, Ebogorgon - Hatching Drake's special ability activates!"

Enveloped in Venom Barrier, Hatching Drake opened wide eyes and mouth.

"On my Circuit Step, with 1 Venom Gauge on my field, I can activate!"

Circuit Step. As Mana Crystals built, toxic miasma from Gorgon Swamp flowed into the small serpent's mouth.

Miasma once only debuffing foes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now protected its body—a completely new use.

"Transfer that 1 Venom Gauge to this card, raise rank by 1! And Hatching Drake with stacked Venom Gauge gains +500 base status per rank!"

Bzzzzt—!!!

Hatching Drake devoured the toxin, emitting dazzling lightning that tore the night, announcing the seed's sprout worldwide.

Diego stared blankly a moment.

Clearly changed silhouette. Barely-there limbs/wings now sizable for true function.

Like a dragon. Still serpent, but seed of clear draconic potential.

"Took the long way around, huh..."

Diego murmured in admiration—or lament.

Echo of mother's words his sole crutch through screaming pursuit.

Foolish past self thought dragon's clue external.

The seed slept within all along.

"...Heh."

A chuckle escaped. Unlike before, a relaxed smile.

His clear eyes fixed on the new card drawn this turn.

Its name: Another New Day.

Genius training as Borromeo marquisate scion. But it saw humans as resources, demanding faster, higher results.

Another New Day manifested from that process.

"..."

Boiling rage surged. Layers of long-festering fury.

—"First, Diego, become someone who can recognize yourself. Others' recognition follows naturally."

But Diego no longer blindly swayed by it.

Perhaps stagger, but forward.

Reclaiming inner light, he turned old rage to fuel.

—"Don't cling to the family, Diego."

Georgia Medici's words post-duel with Ricardo flashed.

—"Yeah, I know. No matter how shitty others are, the Borromeo title and infrastructure are damn attractive. So."

He'd grinned slyly, face fitting "Medici disgrace."

—"Treat the family like a honey pot for that infrastructure. Ignore their crap, focus on unleashing your strength."

Diego hadn't bought it then; now, he got it.

—"Dogs bark, but the carriage rolls on anyway."

Not nonsense.

Diego smirked, declared.

"Battle Step! And at this moment, deploy Another New Day!"

Current Hatching Drake couldn't beat Bigfoot. Lightning disadvantaged vs Earth.

One way: step further.

"On Battle Step, consume 6 Mana Crystals to skip to next Circuit Step!"

More. Faster. Higher. Tiresome voices echoed. Child Diego felt yoke-heavy.

Now, even that fueled growth.

Diego thrust right hand skyward.

"Evolve, Ebogorgon - Hatching Drake!"

As if responding, lightning from Hatching Drake pierced sky.

Path of light from depths to heights. There, it revealed lightning-formed arms/wings, thick legs supporting bulk—closer to dragon.

"Stack 2 Venom Gauge, rank 3 Hatching Drake becomes Ebogorgon - She-Drake, gains special ability to battle all opponent creatures!"

"Th-this...!"

Magician showed first panic. AS-1023 just stared entranced.

Diego sneered at magician, bellowed at AS-1023.

"Now, break those chains! Ebogorgon - She-Drake attacks Guardian Black Bigfoot! Thunder Punisher—!!"

She-Drake overcame type advantage. Lightning spears from its body impaled both Guardian Black Bigfoots.