The villainous young master just wants to live a Buddhist-like life.

　After all, this is a duel!

　……

　Dark felt as if he had rediscovered the mindset he used to have when playing card games.

　He walked onto the contestant's platform, gave Angela, the senior student who followed him, a mysterious smile that left her completely bewildered.

　……

　As the two contestants took the stage, many spectators from outside the first year suddenly appeared in the audience.

　The students, who had come to watch the excitement, keenly sensed the atmosphere and gathered around.

　"Isn't that Angela?"

　The third-year students of the Fools' House were filled with emotion when they saw Angelia, the red player, on the stage.

　Angelia has finally realized her mistake!

　From then on, the third-year Fools' Institute gained another combatant!

　They are more composed in both the grade-level cup and the college cup competitions.

　As for the unlucky guy who dueled with Angelia...

　Isn't that the most popular freshman last semester?

　He seems to be the recipient of the Crimson Star, so he should have some strength.

　But after all, he's only a first-year student.

　A first-year student who doesn't even know how to transmit magic remotely.

　Although Angelia has little dueling experience and hasn't studied it in depth, her skill level is undeniable, making her chances of losing virtually zero.

　There are simply two types: "winning by overwhelming force" and "winning by maneuvering".

　It's a good idea to have a good time.

　……

　"Boys, please prepare yourselves!"

　The referee gave a warning by blowing his whistle.

　Dark and Angelia, on the player's platform, each placed a full deck of cards into the card slot in the lower right corner of the table.

　Dark made detailed adjustments to his deck, removing some useless magic cards and keeping only twenty magic cards, mainly Magic Spirits and Great Sin cards.

　Since Senior Angelia is taking the fast summoning route, let's see who can summon faster!

　Angelia, on the other hand, clearly didn't think much about it; she probably just wanted it to end quickly...

　Therefore, the interaction session was skipped.

　The competition immediately entered the 30-second countdown of the "preparation phase".

　Both players simultaneously switched states and reached out to draw cards!

　……

　Five magic cards.

　Dark simply switched the magic card from his right hand to his left hand, and it quickly unfolded into a fan shape.

　【Paradise III】

　【Fantasy Beast: Eevee】

　【Arrogance Ⅱ?Old】

　【Fantasy Beasts: Ditto】

　Sylveon

　"Start with 'Elysium III'?"

　A thought suddenly struck Dak.

　In his current deck, "Elysium III" actually occupies a very important position.

　Whether it's Eevee, Devimon, or Ditto, they can all achieve a leap in power through "Elysium III"—this is a gateway to bypassing Sacrifice Summoning, also known as Quick Summoning.

　The most common tactic in magical duels is quick summoning.

　If you can summon a powerful magical spirit in the first round, you can violently end the game.

　Instead of waiting for the opponent to draw more magic cards that are enough to change the situation!

　"UI!"

　Even if it were placed here, it would still work.

　If you're fast enough, you can seize every opportunity.

　Why is the Mind Mage faction so unique?

　It's simply because it's fast enough!

　……

　Dark turned his attention to the other four magic cards.

　"Eevee or Ditto, should I choose one?"

　……

　"Battle Phase" [30s]

　"Tick!"

　"I choose you, Ibrahimovic!"

　Almost as soon as Angelia's magical spirit was summoned, Dark's "Fantastic Beast: Eevee" lit up.

　The summoning speeds of the two sides differed by only half a second.

　But in that half-second, the order was determined.

　Angelia's first magic card will, unsurprisingly, still be "Bookworm"!

　Having watched Emma's match, Dark was already mentally prepared. He calmed himself down and had Eevee solidify in front of the blue Magic Ball.

　As soon as the bookworm appeared, it flapped its wings formed from the pages of the book and swooped down like an eagle.

　Almost instantly, it covered a distance of thirty meters and took a big peck at the blue magic ball!

　This bite clearly shows signs of a skill, and it's a skill that deals fixed damage!

　The blue team's magic ball's magic power value dropped by 100 points.

　【2000→1900】

　"Bah!"

　Startled, Eevee instinctively covered its head and used its signature move, "Head Covering Crouching Defense"!

　The effect of "crouching and defending with your head covered" was very obvious, reducing Eevee's presence to zero.

　The bookworm completely ignored it, and after taking that one peck, it made a sharp turn and flew back to the red team's summoning area.

　……

　Off the court, Emma Metis watched intently, her brow furrowed.

　She was curious to know how Dark would handle the same situation.

　Was it that golden "pot"?

　Or something else?

　Emma's gaze shifted to little Ibuki.

　She clearly remembered that Dark had summoned this initial magical beast in the last in-class competition and used a special magic card to transform it into a second-tier magical spirit.

　However, the evolved magical spirit became completely uncontrollable. Despite breaking the Sphinx Cat's Shadow Tag, it then ran off onto its own and disappeared from the arena…

　Perhaps that's a problem caused by the high intelligence level of the magical spirits?

　Emma was a little envious.

　However, uncontrolled magical spirits are of no practical use in combat.

　……

　The first round of a magic duel is the most challenging in terms of basic abilities.

　During this half-minute, duelists are particularly focused and can unleash their best performance.

　Every minute and every second is precisely calculated.

　Angelia's Bookworm used her ultimate move, "Insect Absorption," to absorb a fixed 100 points of magic power from the Blue Magic Orb's Life Barrier.

　Then it used those 100 points of magic to successfully trigger another core skill – "Infinite Library"!

　With the help of the "Infinite Library", the bookworm created a copy with 100 magic power.

　The clone has 100 magic power, 0 attack and 0 defense, but a star rating of 2, and can be sacrificed!

　……

　Sacrificing two two-star magical spirits can summon a four-star magical spirit.

　Angelia begins preparations for the Sacrifice Summoning spell only after the spell's cooldown ends.

　Once the bookworm created the clone, she immediately cast the second half of the sacrificial summoning spell.

　As the Sacrifice Summoning spell was successfully used, a bright white light shot from the magic card in his hand toward the ground.

　The bookworm and its clones also turned into light at the same time, merging with the white light emitted from the magic card to form a complex and mysterious sacrificial summoning circle!

　From this sacrificial summoning circle, another four-star magical spirit emerged, spinning out.

　"Not the same one."

　Emma, ​​watching from the sidelines, felt a little anxious, realizing she didn't have a four-star magical spirit.

　But then she noticed that the magical beast in the blue team's summoning area had undergone an extreme transformation in its species.

　No, the transformation was completed before Angelia's four-star magical spirit was even summoned!

　"Dark is even faster than Angelia!"

　Emma's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately realized that the transformed magical Pokémon was not the Umbreon that had appeared in the in-class competition—but the pink and incredibly cute Sylveon!

　……

　"mum--"

　Eevee is very satisfied with its evolution.

　Compared to the out-of-control Umbreon, Sylveon's evolved form is what it truly seeks.

　Its pink exterior is perfect for a girl's heart, its skin is smoother than that smelly thing at home that bullies it just because it's evolved, and its ribbon bow is even cuter...

　In short, every part of it must be cuter than this!

　As she pondered this, Sylveon suddenly puffed out her cheeks, feeling angry.

　Why do I need the support of the Great Sin Card to evolve?

　If I study diligently, can I change this situation?

　……

　Card Name: Magical Beast (Sylveon)

　[Type: Spirit Card]

　【grade:】

　[Race: Bird-Beast]

　[Attribute: Fairy]

　【Magic Power: 1900】

　[Attack: 1700]