Chapter 575: Magic Destruction! (4k)

Under the vampire princess's introduction, Tenjo Hikari soon met the Deathlord and the Spirit Princess.

Both were cards released shortly before Hikari arrived in this world, but according to the princess, they had existed for centuries and were among the older spirits.

Especially the Deathlord—he held minor status in the "Undead World." Though not as exalted as the Blood Dragon Duke, who ruled the entire Vampire Empire, he was renowned among the undead and demons, the kind of figure summoned as a mediator when conflicts arose.

Under his command were many lower spirits, all seemingly isolated in this dimension by accident, lacking the dimensional travel ability needed to leave, so they remained here temporarily.

The duke and princess offered them refuge and maintained some ties with the Vampire Empire.

Upon hearing Hikari wished to challenge him for a trial, the Deathlord nearly agreed without hesitation—but soon he made a demand.

It could be done, but there was one condition.

Whether he won or Hikari won, if they wished to proceed with the trial duel, they must provide shelter for these subjects under his protection.

"I see—that's simple enough—" Hikari smiled and pulled out the Book of Emerald, showing it to the two spirits.

"The leader's book?!" Kamura gasped beside him.

The book of the Seven-Star leader, the legendary alchemist, Master Professor Dadesi.

For these Seven-Star spirits, its recognizability was more effective than any words.

"A gift from my master… it connects to a vast spirit dimension, the 【Grand Cosmic Dimension】, an artificial dimension whose borders are expanding under my and my friends' efforts. They'll have more than enough space there."

At these words, several spirits behind the duke visibly relaxed—having a new place to live would be far safer and more comforting than their current location.

As Hikari mentioned this, the princess couldn't help lowering her head in quiet thought.

If that's the case…

"Excellent. A remarkable young man," the duke nodded repeatedly. "Then, old man shall engage you in a Duel Ritual, as repayment for the Blood Dragon Duke's and the princess's kindness."

Hikari's eyes lit up immediately.

The duke's fusion condition was excellent.

How excellent?

Demon Race · Undead Race Monster x2!

Hikari and the Deathlord stood before the dwelling of these demons and undead monsters, and Hikari immediately laid out his deck.

"Duel!"

Deathlord, LP: 4000.

Hikari, LP: 4000.

The Deathlord takes the first turn.

"Then, it is my turn," the Deathlord spoke with unmistakable nobility, every gesture refined. He drew a card, glanced at it, then his expression shifted abruptly, his aura changing.

?

Unseen until now, Tierra drifted out, hovering beside Hikari.

Dueling spirits was always interesting; she was curious what this demon intended.

The princess noticed "Midelash" and instinctively widened her eyes.

This spirit…

It felt dangerously powerful.

What had Xikalige undergone and changed over this past year?

"Human, though I admire you and thank you for providing shelter for my subjects, in the sacred Duel Ritual, there is no favoritism."

"Ah, I understand that perfectly."

"But as a spirit, I myself am bound by favoritism."

??

Hikari was momentarily confused by its meaning.

"Over this past year, I've heard much about the princess," the Deathlord said, studying his card. "I heard you defeated it in the human world—though it returned to this dimension, it now sleeps daily, only awakening when intruders appear."

Thinking of how the Blood Dragon Duke entrusted me to care for the princess before leaving, I feel guilt."

"Eh—Uncle, there's no such thing," the princess quickly waved her hands.

She had already spoken with Master Professor Dadesi; becoming a Seven-Star had its reasons. Though she lost, she gained what she wanted—and she'd always wanted to abandon duties and sleep.

Handing over chores to her subordinates and falling into deep slumber suited her far better.

But the Deathlord clearly hadn't considered this.

So he continued speaking at length, leaving the princess deeply embarrassed.

Hikari understood this feeling.

It was the same awkwardness when family brought up long-buried embarrassments during holidays.

Even the aloof princess was unusually flustered now.

"I've also heard much about you and your duels. So, Xikalige, let me see if you can defeat me under these circumstances and earn our approval— 【51】 I normally summon, Deceitful Demon."

I usually summon Deceitful Demon.

A demon girl, wielding a skull staff in one hand, appeared with a mischievous laugh.

Deceitful Demon, Level 3, Dark Attribute, Demon Race, ATK 1000.

Though its true name was "Deathlord," the Deathlord was in fact a genuine Demon Race Monster, so Hikari wasn't surprised it used Demon Race monsters in duels.

"When you control a monster with 'Demon' in its name, this card can be Special Summoned."

Huh?

Zzzzz—yellow lightning split the sky.

BOOM!!

A demon Hikari recognized slowly appeared on its field.

Demon Summon…?

Ah, it's "Demon Star General."

Demon Star General, Level 6, Dark Attribute, Demon Race, ATK 2500.

"This setup?" Kamura, watching, grew grim.

The princess also frowned.

Some spirits behind the duke recognized the setup and began cheering for him.

"When Demon Star General is Special Summoned by its own effect, you must target 1 Demon card on your field and destroy it."

"I destroy Deceitful Demon."

Deceitful Demon chuckled, waved its hand, and a bolt of lightning struck down, dissolving it.

"When Deceitful Demon is sent to the graveyard by an effect or by battle, you can add 1 Demon card from your deck to your hand, excluding 'Deceitful Demon.' I add Demon Cavalry to my hand."

A Demon deck?

Hikari wasn't very familiar with Demon decks until he encountered the "Demon Maid" series and noticed "Demon Maid" lacked the "Demon" category—then he'd briefly studied it.

"Set one card, end turn."

A very ordinary opening.

Hikari glanced, saw nothing unusual, and drew normally.

And just then…

"Reveal the face-down card!"

The duke raised his hand sharply.

"Trap Card: Dark Deck Destruction Virus!"

Huh!?

Hikari froze, then his pupils shrank sharply.

This is serious.

"Release 1 Dark monster with 2500 or more ATK on your field, then declare a Magic or Trap card. Confirm all Magic and Trap cards on your opponent's field, all cards in your opponent's hand, and all cards your opponent draws during their next three turns. Destroy all cards you declared."

Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"I've heard, Xikalige, you pursue ultimate fusion, so your deck is mostly 【Fusion】 cards—and you even used this deck to defeat the princess, correct?

But—

Such a deck has one unbreakable flaw: your deck requires Magic cards!"

"Show me your hand."

Hikari fell silent and revealed all six cards in his hand.

One Trap, two Monsters, three Magic cards!

"Indeed, many Magic cards!" whispered a watching demon.

"Is the duke trying to avenge the princess?" wondered a blood demon.

But the princess pinched the bridge of her nose.

The "old man's" pride.

The princess could see the duke was genuinely pleased Hikari helped his subjects find shelter—but as an ancient, traditional demon noble, he couldn't accept such kindness without asserting dominance, needing to appear overwhelmingly powerful to earn respect.

It was unnecessary.

Still, a duel is a duel; for spirits, the Duel Ritual admits no leniency. His desire to appear stronger was understandable.

But…

How would Hikari duel now?

"Interesting—you destroyed three cards from his hand," Tierra observed Hikari's hand, intrigued.

Losing three cards at the start of a duel was an immense disadvantage—Tierra knew this well.

For Tierra, the number of cards in hand, the quality of individual cards, the scope of lockdown, the effectiveness of resistance—none of these were unfamiliar to her.

Now it seemed clear that the Necromancer Duke's lockdown had a significant impact on Tenjo Kou—its range was likely even more severe than the previous "Fusion Prohibited Zone" and "Fusion Destruction."

After all, most of Tenjo Kou's fusions ultimately relied on Magic Cards to achieve.

Of course, only "most fusions."

Tierra had never watched the duel between the Vampire Noblewoman and Tenjo Kou, but roughly estimating, she could guess what his deck looked like back then.

The Tenjo Kou of that time was nothing like the Tenjo Kou of now.

"I see… Indeed, without Magic Cards, normal fusion is very hard to achieve. But—Your Grace, I am no longer the person I was!"

"My fusion, my duel, everything about me—has evolved!"

He extended his hand, pointing to the graveyard: "First, the effect of Armor Fusion: when this card is in the graveyard, return it to the deck, shuffle the deck, then draw one card."

"Fusion using an effect from the graveyard?" The Necromancer Duke studied Armor Fusion, then nodded silently. "But if the drawn card is a Magic Card, it's meaningless."

Tenjo Kou did not respond. He simply drew a card and glanced at it briefly.

Trap Card.

Link Material.

He showed it, then returned it to his hand.

"Normal Summon, Level 2, Predatory Plant Drosera Lizard!"

A plant resembling a lizard suddenly leapt from beside Tenjo Kou's hand.

An unfamiliar card!

The Blood Demons all gasped inwardly.

"A Monster Card?" The Necromancer Duke asked, puzzled.

"Though it is a Monster Card… Drosera Lizard can, during the Main Phase, fuse cards in hand or on the field that are Dark Attribute Fusion Monsters—including itself!"

Monster Fusion…

"Heheh—so easily bypassing the lockdown to perform fusion?" The Necromancer Duke chuckled at the sight. "It seems, Your Grace, you truly are as rumored—passionate about fusion."

"Even the little purple cutie can fuse now without needing Magic Cards," Camula thought. Back then, Tenjo Kou needed allies to fuse; now he could fuse properly even with only three cards missing.

"The fusion condition is: a Predatory Plant and a Dark Attribute Monster," Tenjo Kou said slowly. "Fuse the Drosera Lizard on the field with the Predatory Plant Sundew Hu Feng in my hand!"

"Witness the plant that once stood against the World-Ending Entity and the Pure White Dragon—"

"Fusion Summon!"

"Level 7, Predatory Plant Chimera Giant Flower!"

The ground churned; vines and petals surged from the soil, engulfing the entire duel field.

Predatory Plant Chimera Giant Flower, Level 7, Dark Attribute, Plant Type, ATK 2500.

"Then, the effect of Predatory Plant Sundew Hu Feng activates—when this card is sent to the graveyard: add one Predatory Plant Monster from the deck to your hand, excluding 'Predatory Plant Sundew Hu Feng.'"

"I choose: Predatory Plant Hu Feng Orchid Scorpion."

Tenjo Kou opened his deck, selected a card, and showed it to his opponent.

Then added it to his hand.

"Now I have another fusion material…"

"And I can attack directly!"

The Blood Demons whispered among themselves.

These undead spirits, long isolated within the Vampire Empire—either in slumber or seclusion—had little contact with the outside world and were completely unaware of how much Tenjo Kou's fusion techniques had advanced.

Thus, witnessing this fusion, the Blood Demons felt excitement and curiosity.

Tenjo Kou flicked his wrist, pointing at the Necromancer Duke: "Giant Flower, attack directly."

The massive carnivorous flower rolled its vines like whips, striking the Duke's body.

Necromancer Duke, LP: 4000 → 1500.

"2500 damage dealt in one blow!"

"So powerful!"

The Necromancer Duke brushed off his clothes, remaining utterly calm, showing no sign of tension.

"Set two cards, end turn." Tenjo Kou glanced at his hand, shook his head, and set the cards face-down.

"Though 2500 damage was dealt… it doesn't actually change the situation," the Vampire Noblewoman observed, shaking her head slightly.

"Yes—" Camula added. "The Lady is right. Tenjo Kou set 'Soul Fusion' and Link Materials; the fused Monster can only survive one turn. His hand only has that one Predatory Plant Hu Feng Orchid Scorpion. If he draws a Magic Card next turn, it's as if he drew nothing…"

As she spoke, many spirits gradually realized how dire Tenjo Kou's current position was.

True, Tenjo Kou dealt damage first—but in reality, he only managed that because the Necromancer Duke deliberately let him.

As time passes, the Duke's advantage will only grow more pronounced!

(End of Chapter)