https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-126-The-Inside-Man-s-Eradication/12557160/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-128-You-ve-Had-a-Scientific-Breakthrough-in-Your-Calligraphy-Practice-/12557162/
Chapter 127: Someone's in Deep Trouble
Chapter 127: Someone's in Deep Trouble
Manjome slumped on the ground, his clothes disheveled, his eyes vacant, and his expression dull. He had lost again.
Despite his thorough preparation and the newfound strength he had gained, he had been quite confident before the duel. Yet, the outcome seemed no different from their previous encounters.
Their first meeting during the Moon Festival Cup could be attributed to his overconfidence or bad luck, but this time, he couldn't even convince himself otherwise.
Standing across the arena, You Xuan, who was putting away his Duel Disk, still looked casual to Manjome. Throughout the duel, he hadn't felt the sharp fighting spirit or tension that usually accompanied such encounters.
This only reinforced Manjome's feeling of being a "small fry."
Unconsciously, he clenched his fists again.
". . ."
"Congratulations to You Xuan for winning the Newcomer Cup this year!" University Sister congratulated him with a smile. "As the annual newcomer of the club, is there anything you would like to say to the rest of the members?"
You Xuan thought for a moment and said casually, "I'm not good with words either. So... I hope we can all continue to enjoy dueling together."
As soon as these words were spoken, the students who had dueled him before couldn't help but shudder, as if their bodies had triggered a reflexive response.
Unbeknownst to them, the newcomers in the club had already reached a consensus.
Watching You Xuan duel was enjoyable, but they wouldn't want to be on the receiving end. The joy of dueling, it seemed, was built upon someone else's misery.
You Xuan had intended to offer some words of consolation to Manjome as his opponent, as he felt that Manjome had put up a decent performance, but his demeanor afterward suggested that he was about to retreat into his shell.
However, in the blink of an eye, Manjome had disappeared from sight.
You Xuan decided to put that thought aside for now.
"I hope Manjome is doing alright," he thought to himself.
The feeling of beating Manjome with VWXYZ was somewhat peculiar. It felt like the victim was unaware and in the dark about the perpetrator's actions, creating a strange sense of deja vu.
However, judging from the current trajectory, You Xuan predicted that Manjome's evolution and transformation had only just begun.
In this duel, the Radiant End Dragon and the Umbra End Dragon had made an appearance, but the famous Panda Dragon—also known as the "Dragon of Light and Darkness"—was notably absent. Its black and white design had earned it the nickname "Panda Dragon" among card players.
Following the original storyline, the Panda Dragon also had a powerful spirit and was Manjome's ace card.
Of course, if we were following the anime storyline, Manjome's signature monster would be the Troublemaker Trio, which would completely change the tone of his character.
Manjome's first encounter with Troublemaker Yellow happened during a low point in his life when he was feeling dejected and decided to leave the Duel Academy. He encountered a maritime disaster at sea, and it was the principal of the Duel Academy's northern branch who gave him the "Troublemaker Yellow" card.
Even though the world lines had shifted, and the circumstances were different, Manjome still seemed to be heading towards a reclusive state. Given his current state, it wouldn't be surprising if he decided to escape and converge the world lines at any moment.
However, this might not necessarily be a bad thing for him. If he hadn't gone through those experiences, he might not have been able to continue improving.
This train of thought was interrupted as You Xuan put aside his concerns for now. He had received the Duel Club's competition credit rewards and, under the guidance of University Sister, arrived at the club's card inventory.
Which card should he choose?
There weren't many cards on his wishlist, but there were still some useful ones, although they were mostly generic cards.
One card immediately caught his eye:
"Magic Neutralizer, 5-stars, 1800 Attack Points. Effect: As long as this card remains face-up on the field, Magic Cards cannot be activated, and all Magic Card effects on the field are negated."
It was a monster used by one of the Three Swordsmen of Doma, Ameruda, in the DM anime. This card immediately reminded You Xuan of an ancient top-tier deck—the Troublemaker Neutralizer.
As the name suggested, the deck's core strategy revolved around "Troublemaker" and "Magic Neutralizer."
The Troublemaker series was renowned for its ability to lock down the opponent's field, and the inclusion of Magic Neutralizer was specifically targeted against the various supermodel Magic Cards that were rampant in the current environment.
Of course, the Magic Neutralizer's own attack of only 1800 was its main weakness, making it easy to take down. However, "Troublemaker" could make up for this shortcoming.
Using the "Troublemaker Trio" to remove the opponent's monster slots and prevent them from summoning, or using a self-reliant backfield like "Super Gravity Network" to create a blockade, the opponent wouldn't be able to attack or use Magic Cards to clear the field, leaving them no choice but to wait for their inevitable defeat.
Obviously, this was an ancient, pure self-reliant deck used for taking revenge on society, opening up new ideas for countless duelists and serving as a great pioneer in the field of self-reliance.
Filled with respect for these great pioneers, You Xuan decisively selected several components of the [Troublemaker Neutralizer].
This deck was generally inexpensive, with most of the cards, including "Troublemaker," being cheap in this world. Only cards like Ameruda's "Magic Neutralizer" were rare, but the Duel Club's inventory happened to have one available for free, and there were also two other relatively rare traps available.
Thus, You Xuan acquired another powerful early-game deck that suited his style, almost without spending a dime.
Especially in the anime world, the Troublemaker Trio seemed to have an inherent taunting attribute, with their attack animations involving jumping up and bumping their butts against the opponent. He could already imagine how hilarious it would be to duel using this ancient self-reliant deck.
"Alright, I'll take these," You Xuan said happily as he collected the cards he had chosen.
The tall senior sister counted the cards he had picked and furrowed her brows, a question mark seeming to appear on her forehead.
"Are you sure these are the ones you want?"
"Yep," You Xuan replied with a grin.
The senior sister's expression turned odd.
She felt that their Duel Club's inventory did have some attractive high-level monsters, all of which were rare cards.
Usually, when club members had the opportunity to obtain rare cards from the inventory as rewards, they would pick the expensive and powerful high-level monsters.
However, the only four-star or above monster You Xuan had chosen was the [Magic Neutralizer], a five-star with a mere 1800 attack points. While the magic-suppressing effect was good, in most people's eyes, a five-star with such low attack was unqualified.
Moreover, You Xuan had bought the "Troublemaker" system himself from the Academy department, so the other components he picked were unrelated, making his choices even more incomprehensible.
But the senior sister also knew that this junior tended to have unique and creative ideas, so she didn't try to dissuade him.
However, as she handed the box of cards to You Xuan, she couldn't help but ask, "Junior, may I ask if you have some new tactical development in mind for choosing these cards?"
"Senior sister, your intuition is spot on," You Xuan replied with a smile.
"Can you give me a hint?" The senior sister couldn't contain her curiosity.
You Xuan smiled as he sized her up for a moment.
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes!" The senior sister nodded vigorously.
She was dying to know.
"Then be sure to tune in to next week's team duel," You Xuan said, picking up the card box and smiling.
"You'll find out then."
With that, he waved and walked away.
The senior sister stomped her foot in frustration, making her whole body tremble.
Why did he have to be so mysterious?
But now she had a hunch.
Next week's team duel...
She had a feeling that another pair of unlucky souls would be in for a tough time.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
