Chapter 847: Seven-Fold Dark Demon, Beast-Taming Technique 7k
Indeed.
There’s always someone better out there, beyond the heavens. One mountain is higher than another!
Robert Broheim, Hank Willard, and the Sports Club President are classic examples.
Dark Demon tried his hardest but didn’t laugh out loud.
The Sports Club President kept saying “sorry,” pulling the vice-president’s head backward to stop him from further embarrassing himself.
Robert Broheim felt extremely lucky after narrowly escaping.
Wit Gold watched the whole thing, finally unable to hold back his laughter—his endurance was simply not enough.
Robert glared at him quickly, “Don’t laugh!”
“Alright, alright, I won’t!” Wit covered his mouth voluntarily.
Robert then shrank his neck slightly and complained, “Senior Willard is like that, he looks especially deceptive… but he’s really powerful in combat! Dark, don’t underestimate him.”
Dark Demon shook his head and said, “Why would I underestimate him? He’s a fifth-year student and the vice-president of the Sports Club. He should be the best after the club president, right?”
But Robert immediately shook his head, “Not quite, our club has many experts. You haven’t seen us train; each one is like a human monster. Senior Willard is just average among them. However, he is actually quite good to new members; he always takes us for good food after training, though he can’t control his mouth.”
Dark nodded and said, “Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses; no one is perfect. Don’t worry, I won’t take it to heart.”
“That’s good…” Robert paused, suddenly alarmed, turning pale, “No, Senior Willard always keeps his promises. Dark, you must last as long as possible, absolutely not be defeated within three rounds, or I’ll be in trouble!”
Dark asked curiously, “Trouble, how so?”
Robert covered his head and said, “About as much as running up and down the castle and doing a hundred frog jumps.”
Dark: “Ah?”
Robert: “Up and down.”
Dark: “Oh, hahaha, good luck! I’ll support you silently from behind.”
…
In any case, Dark appreciated Robert’s goodwill.
He started eating again and made a promise, “Don’t worry, I’ll try my best to last three rounds.”
Robert said, “That’s good, I still trust you.”
Wit nudged him, “Robert, what are you afraid of? How could Dark not last three rounds? Impossible!”
“Indeed impossible, let’s eat.” Robert quickly calmed down and ate enthusiastically.
However, after just two bites, Wit couldn’t help but ask about the 【Mana Language】.
Dark answered every question, clarifying doubts.
His learning progress wasn’t high, but he could teach Wit adequately.
While they were talking, Robert stood by, feeling useless, like his brain was full of cement.
Some people find it when they don’t understand something, while others give up easily.
Robert clearly belonged to the latter.
If he didn’t understand, he truly didn’t.
…
After lunch, Dark parted ways with the two and returned slowly to the clubroom, maintaining a leisurely pace.
To be honest, he hadn’t had time to build a deck specifically for Hank Willard yet.
But he thought dealing with one Hank wouldn’t require too much effort.
Even if Hank Willard wasn’t as simple as he appeared, according to Robert, his main offensive and defensive tactics were limited to the physical realm.
This wasn’t difficult for Dark.
“Just warming up.”
Dark muttered.
He evenly distributed his three duels this week over three days, trying to start them early in the morning each day, with the next two mornings already planned.
This way, he could activate his mind and start a new day.
And once done, he could fully immerse himself in learning.
He had rediscovered his learning goals, with so much to learn.
…
At half past one in the afternoon.
The onlookers, participants, and the circular band around the Outdoor Duel Arena filled up quickly.
Various academies, friends and family, fans spread out, making the arena lively and bustling.
As the 【Golden Cup】积分赛 approached its end, more people would come to watch.
The next Saturday would be the highlight.
The Dueling Club would place the most impactful matches on Saturdays, where tickets to local branches would sell particularly well.
This week decided the intensity of the competition for the following week.
Currently, the scores of the top ten contestants were very close, and any small difference in results could change rankings.
Every contestant took the current matches seriously.
On the contrary, those already assured of qualifying and having no intention of competing for ranking began to hide their techniques, reserving their trump cards.
Some even chose not to participate in subsequent matches.
Therefore, the focus in the final two weeks of the积分赛 would be on the tenth to sixteenth positions.
Among them, Dark Demon, the only low-grade student in the top sixteen from grades one to three, received the most attention.
Everyone wanted to see if he could advance to the main tournament and continue to push forward!
…
Wit Gold and Robert Broheim huddled together at the corner of the circular band.
The former was reading, the latter biting his nails.
Wit originally didn’t want to come, needing more time for studying, or else he’d fall further behind.
But Robert insisted on watching Dark finish this duel before feeling at ease.
He had no choice but to accompany him.
When entering the circular band, he deliberately looked for Diana, Rose, Emma, Sarah, and Heidi but found none.
They were his competitors at heart. Seeing none of them here, he felt agitated, wasting time here.
“Why hasn’t Dark’s match started yet?”
At this point, he could only watch Dark’s match to cleanse his soul.
…
Dark had actually entered the arena and reached the Competitors’ Entrance, waiting for the Dueling Club’s notification to proceed to the designated field.
His opponent, the giant beast Hank Willard, was still being trained in a separate competitor’s rest room.
The person disciplining him was the Sports Club President—Sherlock Holmes!
With the surname of the legendary man, Sherlock was even taller than Professor Jones, broad-shouldered and rugged, yet meticulous, managing the Sports Club efficiently.
Although Sherlock Holmes participated in the 【Golden Cup】, he did not have high expectations and stopped matching early.
Hank Willard, a bear-like figure, was completely submissive under Sherlock’s gaze, nodding obediently.
Just like Robert’s version in front of him.
Finally, Sherlock Holmes told him, “I’ve told you a thousand times, ten thousand times, a hundred million times! Show your commitment through actions, not with your weak mind and uncontrollable mouth! The boasts you made about today’s duel have spread throughout other clubs. They’re all waiting to mock you! And you, as the vice-president of our Sports Club, mocking you is mocking us. I will settle this account with them sooner or later… I’m digressing… In short, I don’t expect you to defeat Dark Demon within three rounds, but you absolutely cannot lose, understand?”
Hank Willard lowered his head, barely breathing, “Yes, President!”
Sherlock Holmes: “Say it.”
Hank Will
Radde brought his legs together and almost instinctively said, “Yes, President!”
Sherlock Holmes: “Louder!”
Hank Willard: “Yes, President!”
Sherlock Holmes: “Didn’t you eat lunch?”
Hank Willard: “Yes, President!”
Sherlock Holmes: “Huh?”
Hank Willard: “No, I did eat…”
“Ha.” Sherlock Holmes spoke in a gentle tone, “Remember, if you lose, don’t forget to come to the clubroom tonight. I’ll make sure to train you until you can’t stand.”
Hank Willard trembled all over and quickly said, “I won’t lose.”
In the sports club, there were only two standards for training.
One was going up and down the castle a hundred times.
The other was going up and down the castle a thousand times.
Full-speed running on flat ground, frog jumps up and down the stairs, no breaks allowed…
…
Shortly after, both contestants climbed onto the competitors’ platform.
Dark stood on the red side platform, while Hank Willard stood on the blue side platform.
They did not meet before stepping onto the platform.
When Dark stepped onto the platform, he realized that Hank Willard’s aura had completely changed!
If previous Hank Willard was like a raging bear, then now he was a more subdued one.
He was surprised: “What happened?”
After the change in attitude, Hank Willard seemed much harder to deal with.
Dark took out his deck from his mana card deck and placed it into the spellboard slot, activating it as he spoke: “Senior Willard, has anyone bullied you?”
This sudden inquiry not only left Hank Willard confused but also brought laughter to the spectators outside.
Under the brief confusion, Hank Willard suddenly shouted angrily, “Shut your mouth! You don’t want Robert to be bullied either, do you?”
Dark found it amusing: “Perhaps you should try harder.”
Robert, who was watching from the ring, was instantly confused.
Hank Willard shouted, “Don’t think you can anger me this way. It won’t give you an advantage. Three rounds, you have only three rounds left!”
Dark: “I understand, my life is hanging by a thread.”
In the competitor’s common room, Sherlock Holmes, looking out the window, covered his head in frustration: “Damn, all my teachings went to waste!”
…
In the end, Hank Willard still bragged about his boastful claims in public, and the roar of anger under those claims became the signal to start the intense duel.
The audience naturally enjoyed the contestants’ confrontation, but the supporters of both sides were less friendly.
In some sections, small-scale conflicts erupted between fans of both sides.
Infuriated supporters viciously bet a sacred coin in the betting pool!
“The contestants take their positions, entering the standby phase!”
The referee’s whistle sounded sharply, and above the sky appeared the words 【Standby Phase】.
Both contestants focused their minds, pressing their fingers on their decks, waiting for the countdown of 【30s】.
【Standby Phase】【30s】
The battle begins!
Both contestants drew their cards simultaneously.
Dark quickly laid out his hand on his left and looked closely.
At this moment, his mindset was calm, but his desire to win this duel had intensified.
Young people always need some vigor.
He looked at his hand.
【Huhu】
【Meow】
【Spell Cage: Gabu Beast】
【Mana Spirit】
【Magical Beast: Fusion Spell Creature – Dragon】
“Haha, it’s bound to happen, isn’t it?”
As the saying goes, when walking by the river, one cannot avoid getting wet shoes.
Among the first five cards drawn in the opening round, drawing five first-tier mana spirit cards is better than drawing five second- or third-tier mana spirit cards, right?
Dark thought so and couldn’t help but laugh.
But Hank Willard, hearing his laughter, frowned immediately, subconsciously thinking he must have drawn excellent cards.
For a long time, those who had studied Dark Demon’s usual deck wanted to see how powerful it could be at its peak.
Hank Willard’s vigilance reached its peak!
This made him, who usually started with aggressive plays, choose something different this time.
【Battle Phase (1)】【30s】
The turn switched, and the battle phase began!
Both contestants, without a doubt, began their regular summoning spells.
Dark drew a card from his hand and quickly summoned.
“In the name of Dark Demon, Mana Summoning — [Huhu]!”
The little imp beast, but steadfast [Huhu].
Dark started with [Huhu], then immediately raised his head to observe the opponent.
Hank Willard had the title of [Great Beast], which wasn’t due to his appearance but from his prowess in mana duels.
He built a unique deck centered around beasts.
“In the name of Hank Willard, Mana Summoning — [Mobile Fortress]!”
A large summoning array rapidly unfolded on the blue side field.
Earth element condensed light points rose from beneath the ground, manifesting a steel fortress about four meters in diameter.
That was not a special mana spirit but a building-type item card commonly used by Hank Willard!
When the [Mobile Fortress] was summoned, his supporters immediately cheered loudly.
The members of the sports club watching from the ring also cheered for him.
Clearly, the effect of the [Mobile Fortress] was extraordinary.
Dark quickly thought and prepared to summon [Meow] in three seconds.
[Huhu] would defend, and [Meow] would attack.
These were the limits of his current five-card hand.
Next, he would consider summoning [Mana Spirit], deploying three three-star mana spirits.
Of course, considering his current situation, if possible, it would be best to hold back one or two mana spirit cards to adjust strategies based on the new cards drawn in the next turn.
But he also considered that if Hank Willard continued to show his strong stance, it would be hard to smoothly get through the early stages.
Maybe he would be overwhelmed!
“Clack clack!”
[Huhu] seemed to respond by calling out a few times.
Then it extended its antenna to protect the red side mana guidance ball.
One man holding the pass, ten thousand men unable to cross.
And the [Mobile Fortress] summoned by Hank Willard slowly pressed toward the red side field under the operation of its internal mechanisms.
The defense of the [Mobile Fortress] was 3000 points, and its wall durability was equivalent to 3000 mana points, with a steel attribute.
It possessed an ultimate skill [Phantom Teleportation], giving it the ability to teleport once.
For first-tier mana spirits, this was an impenetrable steel fortress.
Summoning at the beginning was almost invincible!
Later on, it could serve as a shield in critical moments.
Both contestants exchanged glances, and as soon as the cooldown for regular summoning spells was ready, they immediately began their second summon.
“In the name of Dark Demon, Mana Summoning — [Meow]!”
“In the name of Hank Willard, Mana Summoning — [Array of Gunners]!”
…
In the red side summoning zone, a lazy gray [Meow] materialized from the summoning light. It looked around and suddenly flipped open its palm, pulling out a dazzling gold coin, flicked it high, and played with it.
“Hmm, just a step away from Electromagnetic Blast, missing only the electromagnetic track.”
Dark gave a loud order: “Let’s go, Meow!”
“Meow~” Meow opened its mouth in response and leaned forward, charging forward.
Rushing out.
And in the Blue Side’s Summoning Area,
Hank Willard summoned a [Line of Gunners] that stretched out in a row, revealing twelve orc gunmen!
“Legion-type Mana Spirit Card!”
A faint exclamation could be heard from outside the arena.
Hank Willard’s [Line of Gunners] was an ultra-rare legion-type Mana Spirit Card with a full squad of twelve. Each orc gunman summoned from this card had the standard capabilities of a three-star Mana Spirit.
However, they needed to be combined with cards like [Grand Release] to break down into twelve independent units and thus couldn’t be used as individual sacrifices.
Moreover, the single-unit data of these orc gunmen existed but only reached the standard level of a three-star Mana Spirit.
[Card Name: Line of Gunners (Single Unit)]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ★★★]
[Race: Sub-human]
[Attribute: Combat]
[Mana: 1000]
[Attack: 1400]
[Defense: 400]
[Ultimate Skills: Battle Aura, Bone Lance]
The combination of every two orc gunmen in the [Line of Gunners] increased their attack by 50 points. The combination of all twelve increased it by 300 points.
The bone lances increased the attack by 200 points and had a bloodthirst effect.
Under these multiple enhancements, each orc gunman’s attack could reach up to 1900 points, and each attack absorbed 10% of the damage as mana.
For now, Hank Willard did not have cards like [Grand Release] in his hand, but immediately after summoning the [Line of Gunners], he issued commands.
Twelve gunners instantly poured into the fortress.
The central part of the [Moving Fortress] quickly retracted, revealing a row of windows.
Each gunner approached a window, lifting their [Bone Lance], the spear tips gleaming.
…
“One round to end it!”
Hank Willard watched the Mana Guidance Ball still floating in the Red Side’s Summoning Area and whispered to himself.
His voice echoed through the amplifier.
In the next instant, a summoning array appeared beneath the [Moving Fortress] — [Phantom Translocation]!
“Boom!”
A loud explosion came from the Blue Side’s half. The [Moving Fortress] suddenly vanished from its original position, teleporting with all twelve orc gunmen to the Red Side’s Summoning Area in an instant!
At this moment, Meow had just run out, and Huhu was guarding the Mana Guidance Ball.
The [Moving Fortress] suddenly teleported right in front of Huhu, almost face-to-face.
“Simultaneous Thrust!”
Hank Willard roared fiercely, like a commanding general.
Six bone lances shot out like lightning from within the [Moving Fortress] facing Huhu and the Red Side’s Mana Guidance Ball!
Each of these six bone lances was wrapped in faint blood energy, their thrusts fierce and unstoppable!
Huhu swiftly retracted its head, one bone lance nearly grazing its top, piercing the air.
But the other five lances all bypassed it, aiming for the Red Side’s Mana Guidance Ball.
If these five hits landed, it would deal 1900 x 5 damage, instantly shattering the Red Side’s Mana Guidance Ball’s Life Barrier!
For duelists inexperienced and unable to react in time, this would be a fatal blow.
But Hank Willard underestimated the situation.
In that instant before the match ended, an extremely terrifying surge of mana erupted on the Red Side’s Competitors’ Platform.
The Red Side’s Mana Guidance Ball accelerated almost instantly, dodging the five simultaneous thrusts!
Dark Demon was well-prepared.
…
“[Moving Fortress] can only use [Phantom Translocation] once. Luring it out leaves it crippled.”
“[Line of Gunners] cannot break Huhu’s defense, so we can ignore it.”
“Now that there are no Mana Spirits guarding the Blue Side’s half, I will use Meow to attack the Blue Side’s Mana Guidance Ball. Hank Willard will certainly make it fly to avoid.”
“At that moment, I will summon [Dream Spirit] to chase and attack the Blue Side’s Mana Guidance Ball from the sky.”
“On the surface, the Blue Side will fall into a disadvantage.”
“Hank Willard will be enraged and try to counterattack.”
“But it doesn’t matter; no matter how he counters, I have a backup plan.”
Dark spoke rapidly, and Meow had already rushed into the Blue Side’s half. Hank Willard indeed made the Blue Side’s Mana Guidance Ball fly into the air.
The [Dream Spirit] was summoned, excitedly flying toward the Blue Side’s Mana Guidance Ball.
Seeing this, Hank Willard—his anger momentarily quelled, now looking quite disheveled.
However, he followed Dark’s instructions and performed a third summon at the end of the first round.
This summon was grand in scale.
He had been gathering power for about ten seconds.
“In the name of Hank Willard, Mana Summoning — [Frenzied Beast Roar]!”
Magic Card · Frenzied Beast Roar, a high-level magic card usable only when orcs were present on the field.
It covered a range of five to six meters, easily exceeding a hundred meters in attack distance but weakening with distance.
Yet, it was more than enough to destroy a Mana Spirit with less than 3000 points of defense and mana!
Before [Dream Spirit] could react, the deafening roar immobilized it, preventing it from even releasing [Fear Gem] before being engulfed by the shockwave of [Frenzied Beast Roar].
This [Frenzied Beast Roar], after killing [Dream Spirit], continued its momentum straight towards the Red Side’s Mana Guidance Ball.
But Dark reacted swiftly, controlling the Mana Guidance Ball to rise urgently, successfully evading once again.
By then, the first round had concluded!
While controlling the Mana Guidance Ball, Dark had already drawn two new Mana Spirit Cards.
[Greed III]
[Bliss IV · Moon]
The acquisition of these two Capital Sin Cards instantly made up for the disadvantage in his hand.
Dark abruptly drew [Greed III] and summoned without hesitation, “In the name of Dark Demon, answer my call, evolve, Meow!”
“Meow!”
[Meow] responded with a roar, turning sharply to face the Red Side’s Competitors’ Platform.
A deep blue beam pierced its brow, granting it the power to evolve.
The evolved [Fat Cat], with thick gray fur and a lion-like round face, had a gold coin on its forehead transformed into a deep blue pearl. Its eyes remained half-open, exuding a faint aura of ferocity.
Even as a five-star Mana Spirit, [Fat Cat] was almost a physical powerhouse’s nemesis.
This was one of Dark’s key advantages against Hank Willard.
As for the remaining [Bliss IV · Moon], it could only evolve [Spell Cage: Gabumon] into [Spell Cage: Zombie Tyrannomon].
However, [Gabumon] lacked true combat experience and had insufficient connection with Dark, making it uncertain whether it could maintain rationality after evolving into [Zombie Tyrannomon].
Therefore, [Gabumon] could not be summoned lightly.
Still, Dark was prepared to summon [Gabumon] immediately, but only after observing Hank Willard’s hand.
The duel entered the second round, and after failing in the first round, Hank Willard should now truly unfold his strategy!
“Come on! Let’s get more intense!”
Dark muttered softly.
