A sudden one-on-one request.
But from Andrei’s perspective, it was a reasonable demand. After all, even if the Support Unit gets eliminated, as long as the Guardian wins, they win together.
As long as it’s unclear who the Support Unit and who the Secret Society is, the Guardian just needs to preserve their health and cards.
If the Support Unit wins? That’s it.
If the Secret Society wins? Their cards and health will already be in tatters, so the Guardian will have a huge advantage.
No matter how it goes, it’s a good thing.
With that, the Female Masked Man, who had drawn Stella Varnicion’s card, immediately made her move.
“You haven’t forgotten it’s still my turn, right?”
“………Oh no.”
Coincidentally, she had equipped the Dragon Heart, which allows her to fire multiple Magic Missiles in one turn, and had already eliminated Knight Commander Embryo, drawing three cards.
Without hesitation, she used her cards.
“Magic Missile.”
“I’ll use Blink.”
“Magic Missile.”
“That’s gonna hit.”
“Hmm……….”
Two out of the three cards were Magic Missiles. If the last remaining card was also a Magic Missile, or even if it wasn’t but was a card that could be used immediately, Stella Varnicion’s character ability would activate.
As the Muscle Masked Man, sweating bullets, unconsciously swallowed his saliva…
“I’ll end my turn.”
“Phew…….”
It seemed the last card wasn’t something that could be used immediately.
A sigh of relief came not just from the Muscle Masked Man, but also from the audience.
Everyone was so immersed in this final “Bang.”
The last board game unfolding under the sudden leadership of Andrei. A fierce melee and the final one-on-one.
Anyone who knew and understood the board game “Bang” couldn’t help but be on the edge of their seat.
After the Female Masked Man, it was Andrei’s turn, but as if he didn’t want to interfere, he just drew a card, adjusted his hand to five cards according to his health, and passed his turn.
A clear one-on-one duel without the Guardian’s intervention.
When his turn came, the Muscle Masked Man drew a card.
“……I’ll use Knight Roland’s ability.”
“Surprising. Are you trying to take my card? But I only have one card, so I can’t give you two.”
Knight Roland’s character ability is to exchange one of his own cards with two of another player’s.
It’s a powerful ability that gives a one-card advantage, but if the opponent only has one card, you can only take one.
Moreover, even if that card is taken, the Female Masked Man would immediately replenish her hand using Stella Varnicion’s ability. It might even help cycle her cards.
So both the audience and the Female Masked Man thought the Muscle Masked Man wouldn’t use his character ability, but…
“Is your hand not good?”
“Even if you draw two, that person only has three cards. Without the Dragon Heart, you can’t deplete all three of that woman’s health.”
“Since it’s likely to end next turn whether she draws or not, are you just gambling?”
Amid the audience’s murmurs, the Female Masked Man casually handed over her card.
It seemed like things were going well, but…
“No. What I’m taking is not your card, you fool.”
“Huh?………Wait, what?”
“Guardian.”
“……Are you serious?”
“It’s the best move to eliminate her.”
Choosing to take Andrei’s card instead of the Female Masked Man’s.
That move was like the Muscle Masked Man revealing he wasn’t the Support Unit, but…
Some in the audience agreed with that choice.
“Is that right? Isn’t it too obvious what role you’re playing?”
“It’s not entirely wrong. If this continues, that guy won’t be able to deplete her health and will get eliminated. Then the Guardian might fall to the Dragon Heart and Stella Varnicion combo we saw earlier.”
“Oh, so you’re saying you’d rather just take the Guardian’s hand, which is guaranteed to have good cards?”
“Anyway, the Guardian’s character ability, <Hellfire>, lets you take the hand of an eliminated player. If you can just chip away at that woman’s health, it’s a viable option.”
“Speaking of which, what’s up with that sky guy…?”
“The point is, with the current hand, there’s no way to deal any damage to the Female Masked Man.”
“Rather than getting eliminated pathetically, it’s better to take some of the Guardian’s obviously good cards and use them for attacks.”
“In a way, it could be a stupid move that reveals he’s part of the Secret Society, but Andrei had to be cautious.”
“If the Guardian eliminates the Support Unit… you’d have to discard your entire hand.”
“That’s it? Even equipped cards like <Life Vessel> would disappear. You’d be left completely defenseless. That’s why you can’t recklessly eliminate that guy.”
“But still, isn’t he definitely part of the Secret Society?”
“He could be the Support Unit! Even if he gets eliminated, as long as the Guardian is around, it’s safest to end it at the Support Unit level, right?”
“The combo of <Dragon Heart> and <Stella Varnicion> is just too strong… If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have done this.”
Voices rise among the audience, and the question of what role that Muscle Masked Man is playing grows louder.
Only the Muscle Masked Man and the Female Masked Man know the truth.
In the tournament hall, which has become chaotic in an instant.
The Muscle Masked Man, using his character ability, took two cards from Andrei.
Until then, there had been no conversation between Andrei and the Muscle Masked Man.
They just glanced at each other and exchanged cards.
“What cards did you give…?”
The two cards given to the Muscle Masked Man weren’t random; Andrei chose them. Meaning, depending on his intention, the ability he just used might have no effect.
Magic Missile or Meteor isn’t enough.
A more powerful card is needed───
“………This is it.”
And then.
The Muscle Masked Man’s eyes trembled as he received the cards from Andrei.
After a brief glance at Andrei, he turned his head and used the card on the Female Masked Man.
<Chaos Magic>.
“What…!?”
“With this, I’ll end my turn.”
<Chaos Magic>.
The player who equips this card must flip the top card of their deck before starting their turn. If that card has a circle symbol, the magic activates, and they lose 3 health.
Coincidentally, the Female Masked Man’s health is exactly 3.
Was that card from the Muscle Masked Man’s hand, or did Andrei give it to him?
Thinking about that could wait for later.
Right now, it’s time to decide whether she gets eliminated or not.
“………….”
Plop.
Silence falls over the noisy tournament hall. It’s so quiet that you can hear water dripping somewhere. Whether it’s the Female Masked Man’s cold sweat or the audience’s sweat is unknown.
But.
“I’ll draw…!!”
Just flip the card.
The symbol on the flipped card is.
“Wooooow!!!!”
“Guardian.”
“………It was you.”
“Now, it’s just the two of us.”
A circle.
Yet, the game isn’t over.
A true one-on-one still remains.
*
Former Guardian, one of the Empire’s five Grand Masters, the great teacher.
Though adorned with various titles and fame, Knight Roland preferred to be called by his own name.
Whether it’s Grand Master or former Guardian, Knight Roland believed that at his core, he was just an Aura user, a knight.
Without any attachment, he retired from the position of Guardian and wandered the Empire, living a nomadic life.
It was also an extension of that.
“All I need is a single sword.”
After stepping down from the position of Guardian, countless love calls and offers came flying his way, but he ignored them all. Knight Roland wanted to wander the Empire.
Before he became a Guardian or a Grand Master. Even before Roland was called “Knight,” he was just a wandering knight.
Well, to be honest, he was just a suspicious figure carrying a sword. A knight should have a lord to serve. But Roland had no desire to serve anyone.
So he wandered. He slayed monsters, cut down villains, jumped into wars, saved those in danger, and narrowly escaped death.
As he lived like that, he became an expert, a master, and eventually a Grand Master. The name Roland became a symbol of hope for wandering knights.
It was around that time that the previous Emperor of the Empire personally invited Roland. Though he couldn’t become a knight because he didn’t serve anyone, the title of Emperor was a bit different.
So he accepted the invitation and rose to the position of Guardian. By serving the Emperor, Roland became a knight and was called “Knight.”
“And decades passed.”
By the time Knight Roland grew a beard and became an obvious old knight, he was still the Guardian.
But Knight Roland’s heart was never truly fulfilled.
He trained with his sword. With the support of the royal family, he hunted powerful monsters. He also raised disciples. Embryo was his most successful disciple.
Yet, Knight Roland’s heart remained empty.
So he quit.
To return to the days of wandering, serving no one.
Now, even without someone to serve, Roland was still a knight. He wandered the Empire with just a single sword.
And then he met Kyle Galli.
“It was magnificent.”
A board game sent by Charles, one of his disciples.
The shock and fun he felt when he first played it still remain. Though he got a bit too excited and quickly broke the bell, it was enough to fill his empty heart.
……Actually, thinking about it now.
It might have been because it was the first form of entertainment he encountered besides the sword. It didn’t have to be a board game. It’s just that until now, he had no interest in wealth or women.
Once he got hooked, the board game kept pulling him in, as if trying to fill all the emptiness he felt during his time as a Guardian.
Eventually, it was inevitable that he would hear the name Kyle Byron.
That he was the creator of Kyle Galli, the game Knight Roland had played.
And that he was spreading various board games in the Gias Territory of Arkhé Magic Tower.
So he headed straight to Gias. Coincidentally, Embryo was also heading to Gias, so they could travel together.
And that brings us to the present.
‘I.’
He did something rather embarrassing.
He was pushed by a powerless board game creator and ended up making his own board game. He even entered a tournament. He hid his identity, used honorifics with commoners much younger than him, and got overly immersed.
And the entire process.
Was incredibly enjoyable.
‘I don’t need to be a Grand Master or anything.’
Let me say it again.
Knight Roland doesn’t like grand titles.
He just calls himself Roland.
He is a Grand Master, a former Guardian, Embryo’s teacher, and a knight admired by all.
But at the same time, he’s an old man deeply immersed in his first hobby, sometimes overly so, feeling embarrassed yet proud.
An embarrassing old knight, Knight Roland.
“So───”
“I am the Secret Society, Guardian. No, I guess I don’t need to use honorifics anymore.”
“Really, it’s just the two of us now.”
“……Frankly, I think this situation is really fortunate.”
“Is that so?”
“The prize is one thing, but I wanted a fun board game. In that sense, Andrei, I’m glad you came late.”
“I’m just genuinely grateful that I got serious about board games. Thanks to that, I was able to play such a thrilling and fun board game…!!”
A fierce smile that even a mask couldn’t hide. And in response, a domineering aura flowed out.
Even though it wouldn’t reveal his identity, it was still a somewhat dangerous move.
Knight Roland was genuinely laughing.
“First, I apologize. I thought you were a boring guy in the first game.”
“You saw it right. Actually, even now… I’m determined to go all the way. Do you know how much my heart is pounding? I’m amazed at myself for being able to speak so confidently at first.”
“…Do you perhaps have a talent for swords?”
“No. At best, just a kitchen knife.”
“Well, you don’t need talent to become a disciple.”
“Huh?”
“We’ll talk about that later. For now… shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves?”
How’s the situation? Needless to say, it’s unfavorable.
Knight Roland has 1 point, but if he wins with the Secret Society here, he’ll get 2 points, making it 3 points and securing the victory.
On the other hand, Andrei has 0 points, so even if he wins, he can’t take the championship, but since Stella Varnicion, who was the support unit, has 2 points, it would also make 3 points, leading to victory.
You really have to pour everything into winning, but the difference in stamina and cards is too great.
‘Even so.’
Isn’t it the essence of board games to desperately strive in the face of adversity and find a way out?
Even if it weren’t a board game, it was all too familiar to Knight Roland, who had been through countless battlefields.
Adversity, danger, disadvantage. Break through all those hardships and seize victory.
What knight would refuse that primal thrill?
“Come at me, Guardian. I’ll do my best to cut off your head…!!”
“I’ll do my best too!”
And so.
The life-or-death duel for the championship began.
*
“Hmm, Knight Roland? Have you been well?”
“………….”
“Stella, it’s been so long that Knight Roland seems to have lost his words. May I speak?”
“Of course, Olfin.”
“Roland? It’s me, Olfin. Aren’t you going to greet an old friend?”
“……………I.”
“Bantain, Shisha. What about you? Shall we talk?”
“I’ll pass.”
“…Old man, old lady. Are you having fun?”
“Huh? Having fun? Stella, do you know what that means?”
“I’m not sure? Should I ask Knight Roland? Knight Roland! Please answer me!”
“…………I’m here.”
“Knight Roland? Knight Roland??”
“I’m here, so stop talking to that card!!!!”
“Oh? Sorry. This card is so realistic that I got confused. The only special card of Knight Roland in the Empire, no, the continent! Why is it in my hand? Shouldn’t Knight Roland have it?”
“………Damn mages.”
Knight Roland.
Amidst the four Archmages holding his special card, he let out a deep sigh……
