Finding the Solution Is Up to You

"Kyaaak?"

"Kiruruk!"

Lerven, resolved to fight the chimeras head-on, slowly maneuvered to position Sidus behind him. With fatigue weighing heavy on his deeply sunken eyes, he scanned the horde encircling them. A chaotic parade of rags in every shape and movement imaginable. Blood trickling from his wounds and cooling his head, Lerven realized with a chill that this scene looked familiar.

Triam Academy's grand first episode! Defend the academy from the swarming chimeras! It's a simple defense game, but each chimera has unique strategies, no exploits, making it pretty tough for an opening story.

Originally meant to engulf the entire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Triam Academy, the episode had narrowed its target to just Lerven and Sidus—no surprise there, thanks to the story's derailment by possessors. Lerven, the possessor who'd likely contributed most to this mess, let out a shallow sigh at the carnage he'd helped create.

Yet his eyes still burned with unyielding fighting spirit, determined to overcome this adversity.

But that's why it's fun to攻略! Hit each chimera's emphasized weak spot for guaranteed crits. Their low intelligence means no coordinated attacks, so focus one by one!

Thanks to the攻略 tips from another possessor, Evan, Lerven knew his path forward. Chimera weaknesses and traits, plus the 'indestructible' cards in his hand. The pieces for victory were on the board—what remained was combining them for checkmate. Checkmate here meant wiping out the chimeras or creating a situation for outside help.

"This puzzle's not too tough."

"Nakk?"

Steeling himself, Lerven poured strength into his card-gripping right arm. His legs were drained from running, but his arms still had fight left.

Fwaak!

To fell a chimera, strike its unique weakness. That required observation, but the one chimera that had chased him here? No need.

Piiit!

Pivoting on his left foot like a top, Lerven hurled a card at its single eye. Throwing paper cards accurately usually demanded skill against air resistance, but Lerven's Arcana cards, forged by his unique skill, were like thin iron plates—unbending, packing punch with simple force.

Puuk!

"Kkyaakyakyakap!!!"

The card pierced its eye—a critical weak spot—sending the chimera into agony. Lerven leaped in, biting another card to free his hands, locking his limbs onto its shoulder and hip. Palm extended toward the embedded card, he slammed down, driving it deeper.

"Kkirarangrangrang!!!"

Body fluids and black blood gushed from the eye. Kujik. Lerven gouged the ruined orb, retrieving his card. Brain scrambled through the socket, the chimera died instantly.

Deuduk, drop. Viscous droplets like oil clung to his black-smeared arm and card before falling.

"Kyaaak?!"

"Keunak!"

The chimeras, dumbly watching their comrade get one-sidedly slaughtered, finally raged at its death, charging Lerven. Claws, spears, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hammers, fangs—all lunging to tear more flesh.

Lerven calmly raised the fallen chimera's spear-like arm.

"Mind if I borrow this?"

Chwaak! Edging his card, he sliced the arm free, bit the used card, and hurled the spear with both hands at the lead charger.

Kwajik. The elephant-faced frontrunner toppled, tripping the domino wave behind it. But the bottleneck couldn't stop them all—others trampled the fallen, advancing.

"Kkikuruk!"

"Kyukya!"

Now, four remained from over a dozen: one with a massive back hump, one with four huge arms but scrawny legs, a unicorn-horned one, and a gaping maw like a goblin shark. Patchwork horrors without unity, broadcasting their weaknesses.

"Your creator must've patted himself on the back for this 'creativity.' Hilarious, right?"

"Kunak…!"

"Kkeuk!"

Despite seeing allies fall, the dim-witted chimeras charged heedlessly. Their target had locked onto Lerven long ago; Sidus's initial form forgotten.

"You idiots make it easy."

Sneering at the four, Lerven lunged left at the maw-chimera, cards in each hand. One hand jammed into its throat.

"Keokeuk!"

It wasn't that stupid—jaws snapped to crush his arm.

Kkaduk!

The [Indestructible] card wedged between teeth, blocking full closure. Fangs pierced his flesh, but his arm stayed intact.

"Kgh… ugh…!"

Lerven gritted through the searing pain—new to him, but he held his mind.

Kkaduk! Twisting, he raked the card along its soft inner throat.

"Kkirarang!!!"

It screamed, jaws gaping. Lerven yanked free, gripped upper jaw, stomped lower with his foot, and vaulted upward.

Kwaduk! As he leaped, a gruesome rupture echoed from below.

"Kkeu… keuh…."

"Keureuk?"

Landing past the maw-chimera, Lerven glanced back: its head pulped into twitching chunks. The four-armed one had smashed it accidentally.

It recoiled at the gore on its hands, shaking wildly.

"…Good thing they're brainless."

Tongue clicking, Lerven rolled under the four-arms' legs toward the horned one, slashing its ankle with both cards en route.

"Kyak!"

"Geuyak!"

Emerging, the hump-backed one loomed, slamming both arms down.

"Hup…!"

Kwang! Lerven rolled clear desperately, scrambling up—the horned one charged.

Stacking two cards, he eyed its path.

Dudududu!!!

Straight-line foolhardiness. Hump-chimera diagonally behind. Like blocking the lance charge, he angled the cards into the horn's trajectory.

Kkaduk! Tseuk! First card stuck to second, peeling off on impact, deflecting easier than before.

Udeuk. Costly—his right arm, braced frontally, shattered. Agony drooped it limp. Left ached fiercely, though unbroken.

Peubuk! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sacrifice paid: deflected horn impaled hump-chimera dead. Black ooze from its hump melted the horned one slowly.

"Kkaep…!"

Two down. Lerven eyed the limping four-arms, ankle-slashed. Slow, but with crippled arms, it overwhelmed him.

"Kyaaak!"

"Kkip!"

Worse, the tangled pile unraveled, more approaching.

"Huu…."

Lerven sighed deeply, exhaustion heavy. Sidus still out, over half foes left. Utterly disadvantaged, yet he refused surrender.

"…Draw."

Endless potential remained.

The upright Emperor drew a faint pang of regret. It could shield or burst foes, but not cleanly resolve this.

Not useless, though.

Tadak! Scooping the discarded card, Lerven kicked off toward unconscious Sidus.

"Kyapgik!"

"Kkeum!"

Chimeras frenzied, charging. Shielding Sidus bodily, Lerven activated the upright Emperor.

Hwoong.

"Kyap!"

"Kkeu!"

A hemispherical sky-blue barrier bloomed. Chimeras slammed futilely—no penetration, no digging under.

"Huuu…."

Safety secured, Lerven finally sat, resting properly. Temporary fix—he needed an escape plan before it faded.

"Kk yap!"

"Kkinak!"

"Can't they just keep fighting each other…."

Chimeras bickering post-collision drew a murmured wish. Infighting to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠self-destruction. Unrealistic, he knew.

"Unless miracles stack impossibly—"

"…Stack…?"

Lerven knew the miracle twisting impossible reality: tarot cards divining fate. Arcana manifested card miracles. Sidus's pulled nonexistent forces; his rewove destiny.

"…Right. From divination—"

Normally, miracles pierced impasses or blocked inevitables, glimpsing unseen futures.

"But with one card?"

Fate demanded more than one.

Chab. He overlapped reverse Lovers and upright Temperance. Deep wish: dual miracles converge.