Chapter 979: The King

Fake Jack: “Aaaahhh—”

A shrill sound of tearing metal split the track; the front axle bearing of the Lucky Wheel shattered completely under the final strike of Triforce Dragon. Hydraulic fluid gushed like blood from ruptured lines, mixing with condensed nitrogen to form a strange vapor cloud. As Triforce Dragon’s absolute zero breath swept over the cockpit, Fake Jack was flung out in slow motion—his white coat flapping violently in the air, yet his facial skin began cracking like cheap silicone.

The “human” rolled seven and a half times across the asphalt, each impact triggering more severe mechanical failures. His left arm snapped first at an unnatural angle; the hydraulic rod pierced through synthetic skin, spraying blue coolant that left a ten-meter fluorescent trail on the ground. When his torso struck the barrier, his chest and abdomen suddenly burst open, revealing precisely arranged motor units now sparking and popping with electrical discharges.

Fake Jack finally slammed into the edge of the track, his last remaining hand still clenched tightly around the ice-frozen “Lotus Demon Dragon” card. Electrical sparks continuously erupted from his spinal joints, and his artificial vocal cords emitted fragmented electronic tones.

“Y-y-you”

He struggled to lift his head toward You Xuan’s direction, his face twisted in rage, yet speech seemed agonizingly difficult.

“I am the King. I am Jack. I cannot… die here…”

His unfinished words were cut off by the explosion of the main power fuse, reducing him to a smoldering pile of mechanical wreckage.

Fake Jack lost.

You Xuan executed a drift brake and came to a graceful stop at the roadside. Behind him, Real Jack also halted the Lucky Wheel, staring at the scattered debris.

“A robot?” Real Jack’s gaze flickered.

“Yes,” You Xuan said. “Your replica. Looks like you’re somewhat famous.”

Jack fell silent, gazing down at the grotesque, exploded remains of his own likeness, and beside it, the overturned Lucky Wheel that mirrored his own. His expression grew complex.

Though he outwardly scorned the impostor, this fake had earned his respect.

Naturally. First, the impostor had somehow acquired a near-perfect replica of the Lucky Wheel, plus a copy of the Lotus Demon Dragon card—he was virtually a living duplicate of Jack himself.

Though he had lost the duel earlier due to his own wavering Dao-heart, allowing the opponent to overpower him in momentum, regardless of the reason—he lost. The other won. That was fact.

And yet this hyper-realistic robot, this machine that in his estimation possessed strength comparable to his own, had been utterly shattered by You Xuan, reduced to this broken heap. If it had been him facing You Xuan… would he now be the same?

Jack shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Forget it. Of course. He’d already lost to You Xuan and his trio before—three against one—and now facing him alone? Of course he had no chance. What was he even thinking?

The cards You Xuan revealed this time again sent a chill through him. Rescue Cat, Premature Burial, Lightpulsar Dragon—those few cards had casually amassed nearly infinite resources and effortlessly obliterated the opponent. That combo was too monstrous.

Oh, and that final glimpse of the dragon—the Ice Barrier Dragon—Triforce Dragon.

Jack couldn’t help but glance again at You Xuan, his expression tangled.

Triforce Dragon had appeared only for an instant, yet Jack had felt an extraordinary pressure emanating from it. Was that You Xuan’s dragon as a Dragon Seal bearer?

How vast was the gap between him and this man?

But it was natural for Jack to be stunned by this combo.

Come on—this was a collection of multiple banned cards. First, Ice Barrier Dragon—Lightpulsar Dragon: even before its effect was neutered, it was a Changnianjinka . Rescue Cat too—because of its ability equivalent to “Normal Summon Lightpulsar Dragon,” it was banned for seven years starting in 2010, only released after its effect was neutered in 2017, and granted full freedom only after six months of probation.

Premature Burial, needless to say, remains banned to this day.

Some archaeologists argue that although Premature Burial had long been used in the DM era to recycle itself with cards like Hurricane, that alone wasn’t enough to justify its ban. Hurricane itself was banned long ago—so why ban Premature Burial?

For a long time, Premature Burial was merely a limited card, not a banned one. It was truly prohibited only in September 2008—the very period when Lightpulsar Dragon began dominating the competitive environment.

Thus archaeologists have solid evidence: the primary catalyst for Premature Burial’s ban was precisely Lightpulsar Dragon and Rescue Cat.

With just one Premature Burial and one Rescue Cat in your hand, they can give you back an entire world.

Seeing Jack stare down at the wreckage, You Xuan suddenly smiled: “What? Has the former King lost confidence because of this impostor?”

“What did you say?”

Jack snapped his head up; the faint confusion in his eyes vanished, replaced by the gleam of a wild beast.

“Jack Atlas will never lose confidence! Even until the end of the world, I will keep fighting—and one day, I will surpass you!”

“Hahahaha. Good.”

You Xuan nodded with a smile, glancing at the still-smoldering heap of machinery beside him.

“Its appearance likely means new enemies are about to strike.”

Jack’s eyes flickered. “Do you know something? Who dares create a replica like me?”

“I don’t know,” You Xuan said, fixing Jack with a gaze. “But I can say with certainty—it wasn’t out of goodwill. And this experience should teach you one thing, Jack Atlas.”

“Falling from the throne isn’t your downfall—it’s your progress. But if you let the whispers of your own shadow make you doubt yourself, then this transformation is wasted.”

Jack’s heart stirred, yet his face remained stubbornly aloof: “Hmph. I don’t need you to tell me that!”

You Xuan smiled: “Good. You, and You Xing too—you’ll all awaken new power soon, stepping onto a broader stage. But evolution won’t be easy. It may bring pain. Even danger.”

“But if you feel ready… I suggest you spend your WGRP off-season visiting Poma.”

“Poma?”

Jack froze instantly.

That former Dark Signer?

(End of Chapter)