Chapter 37

"Don't be ridiculous." The burly man's rage boiled over as if Chiyuki's taunts hit a sore spot. "Hiding the attack power of a mere monster is useless."

"So, you're angry because your specialty has been encroached upon? Despite your large frame, you seem to have a surprisingly small mind, old man." Chiyuki pressed her finger to her soft lips, looking at him with a playful expression. If verbal taunts could make her opponent lose composure, it would greatly increase the chances of him making mistakes, a tactic commonly known as trash-talking.

"Go, Artoria! Attack the Dark Overlord."

"Yes, master!" Following Chiyuki's command, Artoria charged into the darkness with her sword.

In the dark mist, the dazzling blade sliced across the massive body of the Dark Overlord. The huge monster was helpless against Artoria's elegant strike.

Dark Duelist Assassin LP → 3800

"Hahahaha, what a joke." Seeing his reduced Life Points, the previously enraged Scar Man laughed wildly. "Only 2500 attack points? Such a grand entrance for something so weak. Hiding its attack power was completely pointless."

"Oh? So, do you think you've regained your dignity, coward and petty old man?" Chiyuki's mocking smile only intensified Scar Man's irritation. "Activate the Spell Card [Pot of Greed], draw two cards from my deck, and end my turn."

"In that case, I'm going to tear you to pieces!" Enraged, Scar Man slammed his giant fist on the table. "After you lose to me, I'll completely ruin that face of yours!"

After saying this, a chill ran down Scar Man's spine. Startled, he quickly looked over his shoulder but saw nothing but endless darkness.

Though nothing was there, his primal instincts told him that if he dared lay a hand on this girl, he would meet a terrible end.

...

"Make the arrangements to dispose of this man."

"Yes, Master Pegasus."

...

"My turn, draw." The once-menacing Scar Man now cowered, his massive frame shrunken in fear as he timidly drew a card from his deck.

"This can't be happening. She's just an ordinary little girl." Trying to calm himself, Scar Man repeated this mantra in his mind, "It's just my imagination. Haha, yes, just my imagination."

Glancing at his hand and the field, Scar Man suddenly realized Chiyuki had ended her turn without setting a single card.

"So, if I just deal with her 2500 attack point monster and then attack her directly, I'll win! Hahaha!" Scar Man laughed out loud, having calculated his victory. "So, she's just a little girl after all, at this level."

"I'll summon another monster to the field." Placing his card on the table with trembling hands, this tremor wasn't from fear but from the excitement of impending victory. "Monsters of darkness, attack Artoria!"

Following Scar Man's command, the first to attack was his strongest monster on the field, the one with 2900 attack points. It easily overpowered Artoria's 2500 attack points.

"The remaining monsters will attack directly. Haha, sorry, but I've won!" Ecstatic, Scar Man almost threw his cards in celebration.

"Noisy!" With a swift and elegant move, Artoria swung her sword, slicing the giant beast attacking her in two.

The other two monsters, meant to attack directly after Artoria was defeated, came to a screeching halt and retreated into the darkness in terror.

"....." Scar Man's ecstatic dance turned to stone as he struggled to comprehend the field.

Dark Duelist Assassin LP → 3700

"How can this be? This monster only has 2500 attack points." Scar Man's eyes nearly popped out in disbelief as his sure victory vanished.

"Hmph, activate Artoria's special effect." With her arms crossed, Chiyuki explained.

[① The opponent cannot know this card's attack and defense points. Its attack and defense points are (base 2000 + 500 for each monster with [Heroic Spirit] in its name in your hand).]

(Oh? So you think you've regained your dignity, disgusting and petty old man? Activate the Spell Card [Pot of Greed], draw two cards from the deck.)

Scar Man recalled Chiyuki's last move before ending her turn. "So, you were trying to provoke me into overlooking the significance of her adding to her hand."

Since the previous turn, Chiyuki's continuous taunts had thrown the Dark Duelist off balance, leading him to miscalculate Artoria's attack power as only 2500. The result was sacrificing his strongest monster on the field.

"In such a dire situation, she still managed to use this tactic. Chiyuki..." Mai Valentine watched in awe as Chiyuki turned the tables with her cunning strategy.

"Playing mind games with me, old man, you're not even close." Seeing her trash-talk strategy succeed, Chiyuki crossed her arms and smirked triumphantly.

Realizing he'd been duped, Scar Man forced himself to calm down, his gaze growing cold as he stared at the smug Chiyuki. " Girl, you've underestimated what it means to be a Dark duelist ."

With a giant finger, Scar Man pressed a card onto the table. "Now, feel the true terror of darkness."

"Activate Continuous Spell Card [Falling Dark Floating Castle]." As soon as Scar Man placed the card on the table, the once stable floating castle began to tremble and collapse.

The previously faint dark mist from the floating castle erupted like a bomb, engulfing the entire field, including Chiyuki's monster zone.

"The dark power and terrifying monsters sealed within the floating castle are now unleashed." Scar Man, covering his grotesque face with his giant hand, entered a state of near-madness.

Five giant shadows slowly emerged from the darkness, their terrifying howls sending chills down Chiyuki's spine. Nervous sweat trickled down her delicate face and neck.

[Falling Dark Floating Castle Spell Card Effect: Can only be activated when [Dark Floating Castle] and [Dark Assembly] are on your field. ① Release [Dark Floating Castle] and [Dark Assembly] to the graveyard, pay 3000 Life Points, and summon as many Dark attribute monsters from your deck/hand/graveyard to your field as possible. ② While this card is on the field, all Dark attribute monsters gain 500 attack points, and non-Dark attribute monsters lose 500 attack points.]

Dark Duelist LP → 700

"Chiyuki Hoshino, this darkness will be your grave."