Chapter 49: 049 Winning with Ease_1
A Spirit Card Master can choose to use several cards at the same time. But the rules won’t let you exploit any loopholes. If you use two cards, you must summon the Card Spirits of those cards. Once a Card Spirit appears, it constantly consumes spiritual power. Normally, Spirit Card Masters can’t control two at the same time. However, there are exceptions. Some people are just extraordinarily gifted; such Spirit Card Masters are inevitably among the best of their level.
The referee seemed somewhat surprised. "You’re going to use two cards?"
Wen Jiang looked up at her opponent and curled her lips slightly. "Not this time."
No matter what card I use, he’s no match. Taking out another would just break his spirit completely.
As the match began with a BEEP, the Card Spirits officially entered the fray. Her opponent’s expression was wary. The Burrower Beast was a giant insect-like Card Spirit, resembling a centipede with segmented shells. Yet, in the gaps of the shells, one could see translucent soft flesh, which made some people feel uneasy.
As soon as the Burrower Beast appeared, it immediately showcased its abilities, burrowing straight into the ground.
Meanwhile, the Child Demon summoned by Wen Jiang tilted her head, looking innocently puzzled, a contrast to her usually cold and stern face.
The Spirit Card Masters in the audience were discussing.
"Damn, setting aside everything else, just looking at the cards from Country Xiben’s association makes my scalp tingle every time."
"It’s okay; this is still bearable. You haven’t seen the freaky cards from some of the associations in the Frost Moon Empire. The moment they come into play, you don’t even want to fight, just puke. Their Card Spirits are all utterly anti-human in appearance."
"The Mount Flower Association’s cards this time are good, though. Look at that little loli—so soothing for the eyes."
Qin Shi was also watching the battle from the stands. Fan Qiming rubbed his belly. "I’m getting a bit hungry. I hope this match ends quickly."
If it weren’t for their interest in seeing Wen Jiang’s strength, they wouldn’t have waited until now.
Fan Qiming narrowed his eyes towards Wen Jiang on the stage and said, "What do you think she’s thinking? Using a whole deck in a singles match for good luck, and it even includes the Child Demon, which can’t stall for time. By the way, that card is pretty strange. Have you studied it recently?"
Qin Shi commented, "It’s strong, but aren’t there said to be severe side effects when it’s used?"
Fan Qiming paused. "That’s what I heard. Most of their internal members who have used this card generally feel restless, and their spiritual power drops faster than with other cards during a match. They can’t use it for long. But yes, it is indeed strong."
Once the Child Demon releases its Skills in human form, even if it doesn’t wipe out the entire field instantly, it will deal severe damage to all Card Spirits on the field.
A very strange card.
Qin Shi scoffed. "Then she’s quite confident in herself. This Spirit Card Master from Xiben has done his homework; the Child Demon’s biggest weakness is stalling."
This card is odd. It can’t last long, and the Burrower Beast specializes in stalling because it can burrow. Normally, cards can’t catch it.
Qin Shi asserted, "She’s a bit arrogant."
Fan Qiming looked towards the stage and sighed lightly. "Yes, it’s clear she hasn’t done the necessary research. Seeing the opponent pull out the Burrower Beast, I wouldn’t go with the Child Demon. I’d rather take the Flower Demon and stall against the opponent."
The live audience, having watched recent matches and done some research, was puzzled by Wen Jiang’s choice of card.
[What’s she doing? In a singles match, she uses a whole deck? What’s she thinking? Shouldn’t she just play five offensive cards instead? Could it be she hasn’t practiced enough to be good with others?]
[The Child Demon can’t afford to stall! I think she hasn’t really looked at the opponent’s cards. Is she too arrogant?]
[It’s outrageous, choosing a whole deck in a singles match! Is she just going for looks?]
[She must prefer using pretty cards. You could tell by the look on her face when she saw the opponent’s deck—clear contempt...]
[Damn it! A singles match with one deck! If the offensive cards get banned, it’s a direct GG. And she picked a Dual-Change Card that can’t stall for time—seriously! This rookie is out of this world!]
「Imperial City.」
Meanwhile, the coaching team of the Mount Flower Association was also watching this match.
Seeing her pick the Child Demon was somewhat unexpected. However, the way she had previously beaten the Armored Bear using the Wolf Leopard was so shocking that a coach hesitantly asked Ding Ruijie, "Did you ever ask her what kind of deck she specializes in?"
Ding Ruijie replied awkwardly, "I asked before. She said she’s versatile, good with any card. She mentioned she’s recently been practicing with our association’s new cards, so I didn’t bother her."
The other coaches: "..."
To claim to be good with any card is actually quite arrogant. Everyone has a style they’re good at; otherwise, there wouldn’t be classifications like offensive and support.
However, the match had just begun, so they decided to watch the outcome.
Zero Egg provided real-time feedback of the audience’s emotions. "The Burrower Beast is specifically used for stalling, targeting your card. Everyone says you’re crazy, but it’s not their fault; they just didn’t realize you’re a freak."
Wen Jiang pinched her chin, looking at the card drilling around the center of the field as if contemplating a strategy.
Meanwhile, the Child Demon frowned too, staring at the insect on the field. Nobody noticed that her mood wasn’t in sync with Wen Jiang’s.
How long can this bug keep burrowing?
The Child Demon seemed a bit impatient now. She flew forward, her gaze following the trail of the Burrower Beast. When the opponent’s Spirit Card Master saw the Child Demon advancing, thinking Wen Jiang was getting desperate, a look of joy appeared in his eyes.
The Burrower Beast burrowed to and fro under the arena, making the whole stadium seem to shake. The moment it popped its head out, the Child Demon suddenly let out a piercing scream.
Her wails, like an infant’s cries, were shrill and grating, genuinely unsettling.
In just two seconds, the Burrower Beast burrowed back underground. The Child Demon’s sonic range was clearly not enough; the Burrower Beast had obviously dodged it.
Everyone else thought so.
After missing her target, for the next two minutes, the Burrower Beast zipped around the field swiftly. The Child Demon couldn’t find an opportunity to strike. Her form clearly became unstable, and she started to wobble while flying midair.
The opposing Spirit Card Master’s eyes lit up.
This was the precursor to a Card Spirit’s disintegration, signifying that her spiritual power was faltering.
In reality, controlling the Burrower Beast to burrow so continuously had also taken a toll on his spiritual power.
Zero Egg sighed. "He’s about to be fooled."
It wasn’t necessarily about being fooled; when an opportunity presented itself, one naturally had to seize it.
In that instant, the Burrower Beast burst up from the ground, ramming straight toward the Child Demon.
The Child Demon’s eyes turned fierce in a split second.
A flash of light, and she transformed into a plump baby spirit with a sinister aura, moving in an instant. Her sharp teeth bit down on the Burrower Beast.
CRUNCH, CRUNCH—
That was the sound of a Card Spirit disintegrating.
The opposing Spirit Card Master, as if struck by a heavy blow, watched the Burrower Beast turn into light and disappear. Meanwhile, the Child Demon, having secured a one-hit kill, transformed back into her human form and flew to Wen Jiang’s side. She pursed her lips into a timid smile, as if seeking praise for her victory.