REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!Chapter 18: I Can't Deceive Women
Since monsters could materialize just like in the anime, he absolutely had to go full chuuni mode.
"Burn! Spell Card—H - Heated Heart, activate!"
The H-spell he'd selected from Finesse's collection—a massive burning 'H' letter appeared behind Burstinatrix.
"Due to the card's effect, Burstinatrix's ATK increases by 500 points and gains piercing damage."
Piercing damage—when attacking a Defense Position monster, if ATK exceeded DEF, damage would still be dealt.
[Burstinatrix] [ATK: 1200 + 500 → 1700]
Through Spell Card enhancement, Burstinatrix boosted to 1700 ATK—pretty solid combat power among lower-level monsters that didn't require Tributes.
"Burstinatrix, attack the Defense Position monster!"
"Hmph. Game over." Lutz's lips curved into a wicked smile as he pressed his Duel Disk, flipping his set back-row Trap Card.
"Trap Card—Staunch Defender, activate! Due to its effect, when you attack, you must select my Sanga of the Thunder as the attack target—and you must attack!"
Burstinatrix's attack target was forcibly changed by the Trap Card.
Amano had originally switched to offense thinking pure defense meant slow death. Instead, he'd fallen straight into Lutz's trap.
Even with H - Heated Heart's boost, Sanga's ATK still exceeded Burstinatrix by 900 points.
Attack Position vs Attack Position—not only would the monster be destroyed, Amano would take 900 damage to his Life Points.
Plus in underground duels with extremely high physical feedback rates, 900 points of lightning damage would torture the duelist's body.
Lutz: "If you think it's only 900 damage, you're too naive, slum brat! Sanga of the Thunder's effect activates!"
Lightning erupting from the demon god's body perfectly nullified Burstinatrix's attack.
Lutz: "When Sanga of the Thunder is attacked, I can reduce the attacking monster's ATK to 0! You're finished, Amano Rei!"
[Burstinatrix] [ATK: 1700 → 0]
Watching this offensive-defensive exchange, the Sharia Corporation side instantly erupted in chaos.
"There it is—Lutz's deadly combo technique!"
"No matter how high the ATK, monsters die to this move!"
"Even the duelist can't escape!"
After ATK reduced to 0 then forced into battle, Amano would take 2600 battle damage.
No different from taking Sanga of the Thunder's direct attack.
In an underground duel with 80% physical feedback rate—equivalent to receiving actual divine lightning.
I'm not here for tribulation cultivation!
"Die! Accept divine lightning!"
Standing in the iron cage, self-proclaimed god Lutz raised his thick finger high.
He'd already eliminated countless duelists with this move.
'This is bad!'
Amano's mind raced frantically, considering what posture could possibly withstand a Duel Monster's lightning strike.
Didn't feel like something you could just roll on the ground a few times to absorb like in the anime.
This question was beyond the syllabus!
"Amano Rei, get behind me!"
Like a lifeline before falling into despair's abyss, Eva's voice suddenly rang in his ear.
Simultaneously, [Priestess Who Receives the Star Chalice] from his hand materialized as a spirit form. The blue-haired girl gripped her staff, seemingly guiding the incoming lightning.
As expected, in the dueling world, you really needed spirit connections!
[Elemental HERO Burstinatrix] destroyed
[Amano Rei LP: 4000 - 2600 → 1400]
In the VIP box, Karl had already swept away his earlier displeasure.
"Didn't expect it to end in just four rounds. I win this bet."
As lightning faded, Finesse below didn't dare open her eyes to watch what came next.
Unavoidable guilt—even though Amano had actively agreed, she was still the one who'd brought him to this underground duel.
"Huh?" Until surprised exclamations rose from the audience seats around her.
"That kid is actually fine?!"
"No way—taking that level of attack and being... completely unharmed?!"
Only then did Finesse dare peek through barely-opened eyes.
In the cage arena, Amano hadn't fallen. His body didn't even show signs of impact damage.
Even in normal duels—not underground ones—taking this level of attack meant duelists inevitably rolled on the ground a few times while screaming like slaughtered pigs.
"Wh-what did you do?" Lutz asked in shock.
"Wh-what did I do?" Amano responded equally shocked, gaze falling on Eva.
"I-I didn't do anything!" Unexpectedly, even Eva wore a surprised expression, staring at her completely undamaged staff in disbelief.
As a duel spirit, Eva could transfer some physical damage for her master.
Except before the damage arrived, that lightning suddenly vanished—like a black hole had absorbed it.
Hence the completely unharmed result.
While everyone's attention focused on Amano, in the stands below, Kikawayu's left eye's red heterochromia slowly faded.
Yubel: "Actually even without intervening, with Eva there, Amano wouldn't have died."
Kikawayu: "Can't help it. If Rei gets hurt, it breaks my heart too."
Yubel: "You spoil him too much."
Amano naturally had no idea his 100-affection true brother behind him had saved the day.
Might as well chalk it up to good luck.
After all, having been a card player his entire previous life, the mentality was ingrained:
How could playing cards get anyone killed?
"What exactly did you do, Amano Rei?!"
Seeing completely unharmed Amano, Lutz obviously wouldn't easily accept this result.
"What underhanded method did you use to dodge divine punishment?!"
"What kind of god are you?!"
This moment obviously called for serious trash talk to disrupt opponent emotions. High-quality card player Amano naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity.
"From where I'm standing, you failed because you're impersonating a god! Also, don't think you're getting away unscathed!"
Trash talk combined with hidden counter-attack—Amano waved to flip his set card from last turn.
"Trap Card—Spell Shield Type-8, activate! When I take damage, you also take 700 damage!"
Amano's card-flipping hand resembled a swinging blade. Howling sword wind sliced through air, grazing Lutz's thick arm and carving an obvious bleeding gash on his upper arm.
Lutz LP: 4000 → 3300
Taking the same damage, despite only losing 700 Life Points, Lutz's body genuinely took physical injury.
Especially compared to completely unharmed Amano—that bleeding wound looked even more ironic.
Amano's smile dripped with provocation: "Obviously the gods are on my side. Only those favored by Lady Luck win in the end!"
Yubel: "Hoho, he called you Lady Luck?"
Kikawayu: "Geez, Rei, such sweet words."
Even though this turn's attack was neutralized and he'd lost a monster—
The bizarre development actually gave Amano a peculiar mindset.
[Maybe I really am the chosen one]
"Set two cards. Turn end."
"You said win in the end?"
Bulging veins of rage on Lutz's bald head twisted uncomfortably.
"Amano Rei, you District 32 animal, worthless garbage—you don't actually think you can beat me?!"
Though Amano had avoided physical damage through his 'miraculous wonderful brother's' help—
Duel rules still deducted every single Life Point owed.
Empty-fielded Amano with only 1400 Life Points remaining absolutely couldn't block Sanga's single strike.
"But I won't let you die that easily. I'll make you regret not falling back there!"
Drawing his turn card, Lutz directly flipped last turn's face-down Defense Position monster.
"Flip Summon—Morphing Jar!"
The pot monster lurking in shadows with its creepy smile extended its tongue, confiscating all hands from both sides.
[Morphing Jar] [Effect: Flip Effect - Both players discard their entire hands, then each draws 5 cards.]
Morphing Jar's activation was absolute profit for Lutz since he only had one card in hand.
But Amano didn't lose out either—he also had just one card.
Only pitiful was a certain blue-haired beauty in that hand.
Eva: "How did I go to the Graveyard before even appearing on field?!"
"Draw!"
Violently drawing five cards, Lutz's expression grew increasingly ferocious and frenzied.
Yubel: "That guy seems really off."
Kikawayu: "He's been weird from the start. Who killed his whole family to make him this volatile?"
Now entering this duel's fifth round—Karl's bet on Amano's defeat had reached its final chance.
Just as Karl initially predicted, this turn's empty-fielded Amano didn't look capable of surviving.
"Spell Card—Puppet Ritual, activate!"
[Puppet Ritual] [Spell Card Effect: Tribute 1 monster you control. Special Summon 1 Level 7 monster from your hand that can be Normal Summoned.]
"I Tribute Morphing Jar on my field to Special Summon from my hand—Suijin!"
[Suijin] [Level 7 WATER]
[Aqua/Effect] [ATK: 2500] [DEF: 2400]
"Next I activate Spell Card—Level Down!? I pay 500 Life Points per level to reduce a monster in my hand's Level by 1 star. I pay 1500 points to reduce it by 3 stars!"
[Lutz LP: 3300 → 1800]
"Aaahhh!"
Self-inflicted 1500 damage caused agonized wailing from physical feedback. Lutz's eyes showed blood-red killing intent.
"For this turn's Normal Summon, I attack summon Level-reduced-to-4 Kazejin!"
[Kazejin] [Level 4 (Originally 7) WIND]
[Spellcaster/Effect] [ATK: 2400] [DEF: 2200]
In just three turns, Lutz successfully summoned three demon gods to his field.
ATK 2400, 2500, 2600.
Such terrifying suppression—forget bottom-district duels, even some mid-district duel competitions would call this horrifyingly strong.
"That 1.2 million was money well spent!"
The Sharia Corporation head naturally felt very satisfied with Lutz's performance. His cigar-clenching lips couldn't suppress their upward curve.
"You get what you pay for. That Wein family little girl found this cheap bargain somewhere. Simply doesn't take us seriously."
After Lutz simultaneously summoned all three attribute demon gods, absolutely nobody believed Amano had any chance of winning this duel.
"Still can't do it after all."
Finesse sighed softly. From initial anticipation, to surprise at Amano summoning a Hero, to current reality showing zero hope.
Fighting with weak trash monsters was like trying to reverse a lowly birth—this world had never been that naive.
Perhaps betting possibilities on a slum district rookie duelist had been the greatest naivety all along.
"That's enough, Amano!" Finesse shouted toward the stage. "You can surrender! I'll give you your compensation as promised!"
[Finesse Affection -10]
Why the huge deduction?!
Gained 4 points today, lost 10—Finesse's affection dropped to 49 points, even breaking below the 50-point threshold.
As expected in this world, card games were what most affected affection rating changes.
This wouldn't do. Amano needed those system rewards.
"I won't surrender."
"Stop being stubborn—you'll die! You can't get lucky like just now every single time."
"This isn't about life or death, Miss Finesse~"
While scanning his hand, Amano responded to Finesse with a confident gesture, pointing at the dejected girl behind him.
"It's about me winning this duel for you right here!"
"Victory?" Dejected Finesse's mouth opened in shock. "That's impossible..."
Heh. Deceiving women? Can't do it.
The victory puzzle—despite falling into desperate straits, Amano had unexpectedly assembled it once again.
***
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