Magic Card Era: Infinite Deck Enhancement — Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Please Begin Your Performance

“Finally decided to send someone out?” Li Yu did not bother to hide the haughty sneer on his face as Luke stepped onto the arena floor. “It seems your status among these losers is quite unusual. I hope you can at least provide me with a little entertainment.”

Disdain dripped from his every word. Judging by the relieved expressions of the Cangling City students, Li Yu deduced that the young man standing before him was their absolute strongest competitor. It was only the second round of the exchange match, yet they were already playing their final trump card. To Li Yu, Cangling City was even more pathetic than Cangyang City. The complete lack of challenge drained his interest.

“You will find out soon enough.” Luke saw no point in a verbal spar. He had zero intention of letting this arrogant noble stay on the field a second longer than necessary.

He raised his hand. A brilliant light fractured the air, and the graceful figure of Dark Magician Girl materialized on the battlefield.

“Wow, what a beautiful Magic Card Spirit!” The exchange students from Cang Yue City gasped, their eyes lighting up the moment Dark Magician Girl appeared. Several of them subtly darted their gazes back and forth between the newly summoned spirit and Liu Yanran, silently comparing their appearances.

“What good is a pretty face? A Magic Card’s combat power has absolutely nothing to do with its looks.” A few of the older Cang Yue students quickly snapped out of their daze, awkwardness flashing across their faces. Dark Magician Girl was an enemy unit; thirsting over an opponent’s card in the middle of a tournament was entirely inappropriate.

Liu Yanran ignored the wandering eyes of her peers. She found herself completely captivated by Dark Magician Girl’s pure, flawless beauty, a deep fondness blooming in her eyes. The spirit possessed a universal charm that transcended gender and age, radiating an innocent warmth that was impossible to hate.

But that warmth lasted only a fraction of a second. A sudden, suffocating sense of threat washed over Liu Yanran, causing the fondness in her gaze to recede into cold shock. Doubt clouded her mind. Even during their intense exchange competition against Cangyang City just days prior, she had never felt such a chilling pressure from a single card.

Up on the main viewing platform, Lin Heling and the other VIPs mirrored her reaction, their brows knitting together in unison. The magical aura rolling off Dark Magician Girl felt entirely alien compared to ordinary Magic Card Spirits.

More concerning was the fact that neither Lin Heling, a renowned battle fanatic, nor Yu Chengye, the principal of Cang Yue Academy, recognized this spirit. The vast archives of their knowledge drew a complete blank. A quiet unease began to settle over the Cang Yue delegation. High-level Magic Card Masters were naturally cautious of the unknown, and this blonde spellcaster exuded a terrifying, unreadable energy.

Still, Lin Heling forced herself to relax. Li Yu was only ranked in the top five of their academy this year, while Luke was clearly Cangling City’s desperate final hope.

‘Is this your confidence?’ Lin Heling glanced at the calm demeanor of Cang Fenghua and the other Cangling instructors, shaking her head in silent pity. With such a massive gap in overall strength, these people were barely qualified to serve as sparring partners. No matter how strong Luke might be, and even if she could not discern the true nature of his spirit, Lin Heling refused to believe a single student could sweep her entire team. Cang Yue City still had four competitors stronger than Li Yu waiting in the wings, including their prized genius, Liu Yanran. Even if a minor accident occurred here, victory remained firmly in their grasp.

Down on the field, Luke gave a calm, understated command. “Deal with it, Mana.”

“Understood, Master!” As his bonded spirit, Mana shared a deep connection with Luke. She had heard the disrespectful whispers from the Cang Yue crowd and felt the sheer arrogance rolling off Li Yu. She disliked this opponent immensely.

Raising her staff high, she channeled her power. “Dark Burning Attack!”

A massive, black-purple shockwave of magical energy erupted from the tip of her staff. The sheer density of the attack caused the surrounding space to warp and distort, tearing through the air with a deafening shriek.

“Inferno Knight!” Li Yu lost his arrogant smirk instantly. The terrifying pressure of the dark magic forced him into a state of panic.

Flame Shield!

Inferno Tornado!

Following his frantic commands, Inferno Knight activated its ultimate defensive and offensive skills simultaneously. Blazing fire engulfed the heavily armored warrior, transforming it into a towering god of flames. The intense heat scorched the arena floor, offering Li Yu a brief, desperate moment of relief.

A second later, his eyes bulged in absolute horror.

The Inferno Tornado collided with the Dark Burning Attack and was annihilated in less than a heartbeat. The black-purple magic did not even slow down as it crashed into the Inferno Knight. The reinforced Flame Shield tore apart like wet paper, offering zero resistance. It was like dropping a single match into a raging ocean.

The moment the dark magic swallowed the Inferno Knight, Li Yu felt a violent snap in his mind. His mental link with his spirit was completely severed.

An instant kill.

“How is this possible!” Li Yu screamed, his face twisted in shock. His Inferno Knight was a Four-Star Collection-grade card! It had enough raw defensive power to exchange blows with a Five-Star Magic Card. Aside from the monstrous Liu Yanran, he could hold his own against the other top four students of his academy for several rounds. Yet here, his prized spirit was obliterated in a single strike.

If his opponent had been Liu Yanran, wielding her legendary Six-Star Magic Card, Li Yu could have accepted this crushing defeat. But this was Cangling City. How could a student from this backwater academy possess the power to one-shot him?

“See! I knew Luke would crush that arrogant fool!”

“Stunned, aren’t you? Now you know the true power of Cangling City!”

“Dark Magician Girl, forever the MVP!”

“Hey, the guy who said he would stand on his head and eat shit, do not forget your promise!”

Watching the Inferno Knight turn to ash, Bei Hanyun and the rest of the Cangling students erupted into deafening cheers. They happily shouted kind reminders to the opposing stands, demanding the promised performance.

Amidst the celebration, Wang Ping stood with a highly complicated expression on his face. He was thrilled to see the arrogant Li Yu get put in his place, but watching an Inferno Knight get casually one-shot by Dark Magician Girl triggered a painful sense of déjà vu. After all, his own main spirit was also an Inferno Knight.

Across the arena, the Cang Yue City delegation was in absolute uproar.

“How is that even possible? He instantly killed a Four-Star Collection-grade Inferno Knight?”

“Dark Magician Girl… has anyone ever heard of this Magic Card?”

“There are thousands of entries in the Magic Card Compendium, how can anyone recognize them all?”

They had prepared themselves for a grueling, intense battle, assuming Luke was a formidable opponent. None of them expected the match to end in a fraction of a second, with Li Yu’s strongest defense shattered without a shred of resistance.

The Cang Yue student who had loudly boasted about doing a handstand and defecating if Luke won within a minute now looked physically ill. His face turned a sickly shade of green as the mocking cheers from Cangling City echoed in his ears. If he actually had to perform that stunt in public, his social life would be permanently over, and Principal Yu would likely expel him before they even boarded the train home.