Magic Card Era: Infinite Deck Enhancement — Chapter 181

Chapter 181: Dark Magician Girl: Have I Become a Combat Power Measuring Unit?

“Crimson Magic Dragon…” Luke muttered, his eyes reflecting the blazing aura of his creation.

Compared to the Rookie-level Guilmon, Growlmon X had completely shed its former immaturity. The X-Antibody had violently rewritten its data, forcefully evolving it into a far more wild and ferocious Digimon. By embracing the volatile, anomalous power of the Digital Hazard, its predatory instincts had been pushed to their absolute limits. The plasma blades protruding from its elbows were significantly larger and sharper than Luke remembered from the original lore, crackling with barely contained destructive energy.

“Roar!”

A deafening bellow tore from Growlmon X’s throat as it lunged forward. Its massive, crimson-scaled body carried a suffocating, oppressive weight. The newly spawned mimetic fierce beasts completely forgot to attack. They froze in place, staring blankly at the towering predator, entirely suppressed by the terrifying aura radiating from the magic dragon.

Although Growlmon X was technically a Digimon, its Dragon Man typing granted it a pure, unadulterated Dragon’s Might. If it were to achieve Mega Evolution and become the apocalyptic Megidramon, it likely wouldn’t even need to lift a claw. The sheer, brutal ferocity of its existence would be enough to make these low-level mimetic beasts collapse and die of fright.

‘It’s only at the Champion level right now. A Mega Evolution Magic Card can’t be rushed out in a short time,’Luke thought silently, analyzing the battlefield.’But with Angewomon’s Holy Arrow, it’s like having a VIP pass for a temporary Ultimate-level experience.’

As he observed the slaughter, Luke called up Growlmon X’s data interface.

[Growlmon X]

[Species: Digimon, Dragon Man Type]

[Quality: Perfect-grade]

[Level: Six-Star]

[Skills: Dragon Slash, Plasma Blade, Blaster Blade, Assault Blade, Lightning Blade]

[Dragon Slash: Swings its massive dragon claws to attack, carrying a high chance to apply an armor-piercing effect that easily breaks through the defenses of enemies at the same level.]

[Plasma Blade: The blades on its arms are enveloped in dazzling lightning, launching high-frequency cutting attacks with an explosive secondary effect.]

[Assault Blade: Uses the Plasma Blade as a medium to violently release its internal destructive energy.]

[Blaster Blade: Spits a torrent of hot, dazzling flames from its mouth to incinerate enemies.]

[Lightning Blade: Pushes the energy of the Plasma Blade into overdrive, using the blades on both elbows to unleash a devastating cross-slash that cuts the target in half along a lightning trajectory!]

‘Six-Star Perfect-grade. In terms of pure quality, it’s only slightly inferior to Mana right now, but when it comes to raw, area-of-effect destructive power, the two of them are probably on par.’ Luke felt the magic power within his own body surge and refine itself, rising another level. This was the unique feedback loop of a Magic Card Master—whenever a Digimon’s data was updated or evolved, the Master’s own strength grew in tandem.

“Master, why do I feel like I’m about to become a combat power measuring unit now?”

Hearing Luke’s quiet assessment, the Dark Magician Girl floating beside him couldn’t help but pout playfully, her bright eyes narrowing in mock offense.

“Uh…” Luke paused, realizing she had a point. Basically, whenever a new Magic Card Spirit was forged, he subconsciously compared their stats and damage output directly to the Dark Magician Girl. It made him feel a little embarrassed to be called out on it.

But it made perfect sense. She was the very first Magic Card he had ever created, the baseline for all his future power.

Blaster Blade!

Down on the battlefield, the mimetic fierce beasts remained paralyzed, but Growlmon X showed no mercy. Under the watchful gaze of Luke and Mana, the dragon’s jaws unhinged. Dazzling, white-hot flames spewed forth in a roaring torrent, instantly engulfing the entire pack of monsters.

“It’s so hot!” Even from their elevated vantage point, Mana felt the scorching wave of heat wash over them. She raised her delicate little hand to fan her flushed face, simultaneously waving her wand to conjure a shimmering magical barrier to isolate the rising temperature. She stuck out her tongue playfully. “This destructive power is almost comparable to my Dark Burning Attack.”

“The Guilmon lineage is inherently programmed to possess top-tier combat power for their respective levels, often allowing them to punch above their weight class. As a direct evolution, Growlmon naturally inherited that absurd damage scaling.” Noticing Mana’s subtle reactions, Luke reached out and gently patted her shoulder. “What’s more, this Growlmon is currently in its X-Evolution state, so its destructive output is heavily amplified.”

Just as his voice fell, the blazing inferno cleared. The mimetic beasts that had been caught in the Blaster Blade were completely erased, incinerated into ash in a single, overwhelming strike.

“Master, when will you upgrade me again?” Seeing the sheer devastation, Mana smacked her lips softly. She floated closer, hugging Luke’s arm and pressing against him, her voice taking on a spoiled, coaxing tone. Yet, deep in her emerald eyes, a fleeting hint of genuine anxiety flickered.

As Luke’s first creation, the Dark Magician Girl desperately wanted to stay by his side on the front lines. With the Magic Cards Luke was forging becoming increasingly monstrous and overpowered, a subtle sense of tension had taken root in her heart.

Although Luke occasionally crafted external plug-ins and spell cards for her, Mana knew that if she didn’t secure a fundamental evolution soon, she would be reduced to a mere pretty face standing behind him. That was absolutely not the future she desired.

“Don’t worry. Do you really think I would ever forget about you?” As the one connected to her very soul, how could Luke not sense the insecurity hiding beneath her playful demeanor? He raised a hand and gently tapped her smooth forehead. “I already have a concrete plan for your enhancement in mind. Just give me a little more time, and I promise the result won’t disappoint you.”

Unlike ordinary Magic Card Masters who discarded their early summons, Luke had a careful, long-term roadmap for every single card he created. In his eyes, there was no such thing as an outdated Magic Card—only one waiting for its next evolution.

“Mwah! I knew Master treats me the best!” Reassured by the absolute certainty in his voice, Mana’s face broke into a radiant, stunning smile. She leaned up, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against Luke’s cheek.

“You little girl.” Luke glared at her in exasperation, though the corners of his mouth twitched upward. “Get ready. You’re joining the battle next. Don’t mess up.”

“Understood!” Snapping a crisp, playful salute, the Dark Magician Girl gripped her wand and flew down to join Growlmon X on the burning battlefield.

“Now, how’s the situation on Ciel’s side?” Withdrawing his gaze from Mana, Luke closed his eyes and tapped into Sistermon Ciel’s neural circuit.

‘Found it!’

Miles away, after leaving the initial stronghold, Sistermon Ciel had deliberately ignored the straggling enemies she had marked earlier. Considering the strict rules of mandatory combat on the Trial Road, it was far more efficient to leave those weaker targets for her Tamer Lord to steamroll. The new students in this sector weren’t particularly strong anyway, making them perfect fodder to guarantee Luke’s continuous victory streak.

After only a few seconds of tactical calculation, Ciel shifted her trajectory, darting through the shadows like a phantom.

However, the students who had survived the first round of mandatory combat and advanced to the second stage were noticeably sharper. The moment Sistermon Ciel breached the perimeter of the stronghold’s core area, the ambient mana shifted. She had been spotted.

Awakening!

A violent, howling gale swept toward her blind spot. Instantly sensing that the kinetic force behind the ambush had reached the Six-Star threshold, Sistermon Ciel didn’t hesitate for a fraction of a second. She triggered her Awakening skill.

Bang!

The vicious incoming strike collided with a sudden, blinding burst of digital light. The data shell covering Ciel’s petite frame shattered outward, violently repelling the attack. In the next heartbeat, the young girl was gone, replaced by a tall, mature woman radiating lethal intent. Her slender figure flickered, bending backward at an impossible angle to dodge a second wave of razor-sharp wind blades by mere millimeters.

Her long katana hissed as it left its sheath, the blade drawing a flawless silver arc through the air to deflect a third, heavier strike. The sheer force of the parry dispersed the residual camouflage light clinging to her, completely exposing her position in the clearing.

“Another examinee’s Magic Card Spirit?” Standing in the distance, Chang Hongyi frowned deeply, though a flash of genuine shock betrayed his calm facade. “To be able to continuously dodge and deflect three waves of synchronized attacks from my spirits… the combat mechanics of this Magic Card Spirit are absolutely terrifying.”

When his perimeter wards first detected an anomaly, he assumed it was just a stray mimetic beast wandering in from the previous wave. He never imagined it would be an enemy Master’s elite summon, let alone one capable of infiltrating this deep into his territory before triggering the alarms!

Flanking Chang Hongyi, the two Magic Card Spirits that had launched the ambush stepped out of the shadows, their eyes locked onto the dual-wielding nun with predatory vigilance.

Six-Star Rare-grade Ice-Flame Magic Lion!

Six-Star Collection-grade Wind-Demon Gale Tiger!

The two massive beasts growled low, equally stunned that their perfectly timed, three-stage pincer attack had been dismantled so effortlessly.

“Beast-type Magic Card Spirits? And carrying dark-attribute mana signatures… no wonder their sensory perception was sharp enough to detect my approach.” Sistermon Ciel’s icy blue eyes swept over the two towering predators blocking her path. There was not a single trace of fear in her gaze—only the cold, calculating calmness of an executioner stepping up to the block.