SWNOVELXO Chapter 34: DSMW [34]
"A 3000-Attack rat?! Are you kidding me?!"
The Dark Duelist's expression snapped into pure panic. His previous confidence in Summoned Skull evaporated in an instant upon seeing the blazing Black-Eyes Red Rat burning on Miles's field.
Aisha cheered, "It worked again! The battle strategy for weak monsters! Miles, you're amazing as always!"
With firepower equal to Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Volcanic Rat charged straight into Summoned Skull.
"Burn Summoned Skull to ashes! Volcanic Rat, Attack with 3000—Burst Stream of Destruction!"
"Miles... not every 3000-Attack monster uses that name for their move, right?"
'Eh, naming attacks is just for flair anyway.'
Regardless, the fire blast launched. Crimson flames roared skyward, engulfing and reducing Summoned Skull to cinders.
[Dark Duelist, LP: 4000 → 3500]
"Impossible! How could my Summoned Skull be defeated by a rat—on the FIRST TURN?! Who even ARE you?!"
Scorched by the pillar of fire, the Dark Duelist finally realized... this duel wasn't going to be simple.
In a Shadow Game, damage between monsters translated into real harm. The flames from Volcanic Rat had already left burns on his arm.
"You wanna know who I am? Fine—just a passing Duelist."
"Are you kidding me?!"
Fury bubbled in the Dark Duelist's voice—he realized this little girl was toying with him.
More than that... how was she even functioning normally inside a Shadow Game?
Both Ron and Mizuki had completely collapsed, unable to maintain thought or consciousness.
Yet this seemingly frail girl—with lower physical and mental endurance—was operating perfectly fine. Unaffected.
'A little girl like this... resisting the Shadow Game's corruption without a Millennium Item? Wait... what's that...'
His gaze, previously uninterested thanks to Aisha's "underwhelming figure," finally noticed the gold pendant on her chest. Even in the shadows, the engraved eye was unmistakable.
'Is that... a Millennium Item? No way... If that's true, I need to report to the Leader immediately.'
His flippant attitude was gone, replaced with genuine caution.
Forget robbery or... other intentions. This girl might be someone the "Leader" was looking for.
"Fine. I admit I underestimated you. From here on out, I'll Duel with my full power!"
Aisha panicked. "Oh no, Miles... I think we made him mad!"
"So what? Remember, Aisha—rage doesn't improve your card skills. Stay calm. Always." Miles said coolly.
Finishing his Battle Phase, Miles set a card.
"I Set one card. Turn end."
A glowing Set card materialized on the ground beneath Aisha's feet, marking the battlefield.
"My turn! Draw!"
The Dark Duelist drew, holding the card alongside the Ritual Spell he searched last turn. Both cards were raised high.
"This is a Ritual to summon a demon! Ritual Spell—Contract with the Abyss, Activate!"
[Use to Ritual Summon any DARK Ritual Monster. You must Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal exactly the Level of the Ritual Monster.]
A ritual altar of pure darkness formed, devouring the demon he Tributed from his hand.
Thunder cracked across the night sky.
"Descend with the strike of lightning—DARK Ritual Monster! Archfiend's Awakening!"
[Archfiend's Awakening] Level 6│DARK│Fiend/Ritual/Effect│2500 ATK
The monster emerged with the same skeletal frame and 2500 Attack as Summoned Skull, but its aura was vastly more ominous.
Aisha pouted, "Hmph... Swapping Summoned Skull for a Ritual version isn't gonna beat our Black-Eyes Red Rat!"
"If even Aisha can figure that out, you better believe the opponent isn't that dumb. No way he'd summon it without backup," Miles said, keeping his focus sharp.
"Let me show you true fear—the terror of a Shadow Game! With this demon... and THIS card!"
As the Ritual finished, the man threw a Spell card toward Archfiend's Awakening.
"Spell Card—Makiu, the Magical Mist, Activate!"
The card vanished into the storm clouds above. Instantly, heavy rain began pouring, soaking everything within the Shadow Game's confines.
Aisha flinched. "Wh-What is this...?"
Her uniform clung uncomfortably, the fabric turning semi-transparent. But Miles had no time to think about that—his focus was on the battlefield.
Specifically... his flame was dying.
"Makiu, the Magical Mist's effect! If you control a Fiend monster, destroy all monsters on my opponent's field with DEF lower than that Fiend's ATK! Now... be annihilated by Demon's Thunderfall!"
...
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