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Chapter 496: 496

I couldn’t finish the next chapter in time, so today, I’m posting a story that I’ve discarded before . This story was left unfinished .

I tried to make this as a One-Chapter False Extra Chapter…… but I couldn’t see how to end this……

———-It all started with a single card .

One day, in the late afternoon, I was relaxing in a certain miscellaneous goods store that had no customers as usual, when I suddenly noticed a card on the counter .

[……Alice? What’s this card?]

[Oya? Aryaa, I must have left it behind when I was building a “deck”……]

[Deck?]

[Yes, deck for “Trinia Battle Cards” . TBC for short…… Well, putting it simply, it’s a card game . ]

[Heehhh…… I didn’t know there were card games in this world . ]

Card games huh…… It’s a game that many people back on Earth were crazy about . I used to enjoy it a little bit too .

Well, in the end, I stopped playing . It costs too much money after all…… I also didn’t have anyone to play with too……

[In TBC, there are three types of cards: Monster, Magic and Trap . You battle with these cards, and the one who brings the opponent’s HP down to zero wins . Each monster has its own level, and high-level monsters require a tribute to be summoned . Monster levels range from 1 to 13, where level 5 and above monsters require 1 tribute, level 8 and above monsters require 2 tributes, and level 10 and above monsters require 3 tributes to be summoned . There are also some high-level monsters that can be summoned through Special Summons though . ]

” ”

[……Wait, why the heck does those rulings sound familiar?]

[One must have a deck of 50 cards . Both players start with 5 cards in hand, and they can both draw one card per turn . Kaito-san may be unfamiliar with it…… but it’s a card game that’s quite popular in this world, and you can challenge most people you meet eyes with to a battle by saying “Oi, fight me!” . ]

[……That sounds unfamiliar, but I also feel like it sounds familiar . ]

That’s that trading card game, right? It’s that world-famous card game that was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, right? Don’t tell me…… Even that was passed down by someone who had the role of Hero?

(T/N: He’s talking about YGO . )

This feels strange…… This is the first time I’ve ever heard of that card game, but I feel like I can play it without having to listen to the rules in detail .

[The biggest feature of this card game is this! It’s the “blank card” that always comes with every booster pack you buy!]

[……That’s something I don’t know about…… Does that card have any use at all?]

[It actually contains a piece of magic crystal…… and if one traces the edge of the card twice, they would automatically generate their own personal “Character Card” . The effects and status are also automatically generated! The higher the quality of one’s magic power, the stronger the card tends to be . ]

[……The heck is that . That sounds amazing . ]

Alice took out a white card and stroked its edge twice…… The blank card turned into a card with Alice’s image on it .

I don’t know if I should say that it’s to be expected from magic or not, but it certainly transcends common sense .

Click to open image >>

[Each person has their own unique cards . Incidentally, I can change the quality of my magic power, so I could also generate cards with different qualities . ]

[Fumufumu…… Anyway, what the heck is with this card’s effect…… Even I, who don’t know the rules, know that this card is a cheat……]

[Well, I’m one of the Six Kings after all…… By the way, here’s what it looks like when I make it with the magic power I had as No Face . ]

[……This card’s way too much of a bogus……]

Click to open image >>

[Well, just like mine, the cards of the Six Kings and Supreme Gods are all super powerful, and so, there are a lot of them . That’s why, a certain rule has been established . ]

[And that is?]

[If you win a battle against that player, you can ask them for their personal Character Card . This rule also goes for ordinary players . A blank card is always in a booster pack after all, so they can just make as many as they want . ]

[I see…… But that would mean there would be a lot of players challenging you……]

[Yes, that’s why one can only challenge a member of the Six Kings and the Supreme Beings once a year…… Moreover, in order to challenge the leaders, you must win five consecutive battles against their subordinates…… Except for Isis-san . Anyone can freely challenge Isis-san . Well, to begin with, it’s very hard to meet the Six Kings and the Supreme Gods, so the only place you can challenge them is the Festival of Heroes . ]

I see, if you win against ordinary players, you can get their personal Character Card, so I guess you can collect cards to strengthen your deck, and then, challenge the Six Kings and the Supreme Gods? That sounds interesting .

[Well, if it’s Kaito-san asking for my Character Card, I can give it to you even without the battle but…… You want to collect them through the legitimate way, right?]

[……That is, well……]

[A booster pack, containing 5 cards + 1 blank card, costs 3R . If you buy it as a box, I can give you a discount . ]

[And you’re starting your sales pitch huh…… Hmmm . To be honest though, I’m a little curious about it . Alice, I’ll buy it, so can you tell me more about the rules?]

[Okie-dokie . Then, if you can beat me, I’ll give you my “Grocery Store Owner – Alice” . If you want to challenge me as one of the Six Kings though, you’ll have to win five consecutive battles with my subordinates…… But if you want to battle the Grocery Store Owner me, you can challenge me as much as you want~~]

And thus, I got involved with TBC, the world’s most popular card game .

[Then, how about we start making Kaito-san’s personal Character Card? Now, now, here you go~~]

[……Yeah…… Just like this, right…… Unnn?]

[……Hey, Kaito-san . You’re calling my cards cheat and bogus…… but your card is just too brutal if you ask me . ]

[……U- Unnn, indeed……]

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At that time, I still didn’t clearly understand . The Six Kings, the Supreme Gods…… and the God of Creation, who one can challenge by winning against all of them…… I still didn’t clearly understand how strong they are……

[My turn! Draw! I tribute my magic power tokens to summon my own Character Card!]

[……Kuhh!]

[……Kaito-kun, you’re amazing . You defeated Ein and the others, and managed to reach me…… but you still can’t beat me!]

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Kuro’s card appeared on the field . Its ability was nothing short of breathtaking . Strong resistance, overwhelming status, and a powerful effect allow an unlimited use of Magic Cards…… And even if I manage to destroy it, it will still release a strong counterattack .

I don’t have any cards in my hand that can prevent Kuro’s card from attacking…… Can I even win against it? I mean, I got caught up with the flow and challenged Kuro…… but looking at her card, doesn’t it seem like she shouldn’t be the first one I’ve challenged among the Six Kings!?

[……D*mn it…… I wanted Kuro’s Character Card so badly, but as expected, within against you now is……]

[……Y- You really want my card that bad?]

[Eh? Y- Yeah…… I mean, it’s my “beloved” Kuro’s card after all, so I’d like to acquire it if it’s possible…… but I’ll just try again next year…… Now, deal the finishing blow!]

Kuro’s Character Card now has 15000 ATK…… Even if I have full HP, I can still be killed in one hit . So after she attacks a monster on my field…… I would lose .

[……Alright…… I use “The Underworld King – Kuromueina”…… and “direct attack to myself”!!!]

[……Huh?]

Yes, indeed, that one card was the beginning . After I gained the others’ attention after winning against the undefeated Kuro, I ended up being swept with the flow and challenged the other members of the Six Kings .

In addition, I was being plagued by the God of Creation, continuously urging me to reach her place at every moment she could, and by the God of Earth, who went as far as learning the rules so that she could play with me…… It seems like my long journey had just begun .

No matter how I think about it, it’s that incredibly famous card game .

T/N: 61/271