NOVEL WEB Chapter 23: DSMW [23]
"You've gotta be kidding me—someone actually spent a full 100 Magic Points to craft that card?"
The moment the Spell Card Triangle Power hit the field, the crowd was most shocked by how wasteful Aisha's crafting decision seemed…
Was Monster Reborn not good enough?
Was Magic Cylinder not deadly enough?
Yet Aisha had chosen to craft a Spell meant solely to strengthen low-level monsters.
And did this card even deserve a B-rank rating? No one had ever actually seen it used before.
"They may not be HEROes, or cool-looking… but the weak have their own way of fighting! That's the potential brought by Triangle Power!"
The three Mokey Mokeys floating in the Duel Field repositioned themselves, forming a triangle as beams of light linked them.
Normally ignored as trash-tier Level 1 Normal Monsters, they suddenly became the center of attention.
"Explode with power, trash-tier might! With Triangle Power's effect, each Mokey Mokey gains 2000 ATK and DEF!"
[Mokey Mokey, ATK: 300 → 2300]
Aisha shouted cheerfully, "Mokey Mokey—my Mokey Mokeys are actually, seriously awesome!"
With a B-rank Spell backing them, each tofu block now had 2300 ATK—just shy of the 2400 ATK Red-Eyes Black Dragon. It was practically legendary combat strength.
More importantly, Aisha had three Mokey Mokeys on the field!
Rounding up—that's basically three Red-Eyes Black Dragons!
"...Can a low-level monster really reach that kind of power?"
Everyone's worldview was shaken—the very concept of "trash-tier" collapsed.
And that was exactly the effect Miles was hoping for.
Cards like Magic Cylinder were strong, sure—but that strength was intrinsic to the card, not Aisha herself.
What mattered more was how to maximize her unique low-level Deck. Making weak Normal Monsters into something formidable—different from high-level beasts—suited Aisha far more than relying on powerful Spell or Trap Cards alone.
"Three monsters with 2300 ATK each… Ai-chan, are you serious right now?"
Irene never imagined she'd be forced back by dumb, smiling tofu cubes with question marks on their heads.
Even with a HERO-specific Trap Card Set in her back row, it probably wouldn't be enough to stop this terrifying tofu assault.
"Battle, Mokey Mokeys! Show your trash-tier tenacity!"
Declaring her Battle Phase, the three Mokey Mokeys flapped their tiny ear-like wings and charged toward Irene's field.
Irene reluctantly flipped her Set card.
"—Trap Card activate: HERO Barrier!"
[If you control a face-up 'Elemental HERO' monster, negate 1 attack from your opponent's monsters.]
An Elemental HERO-exclusive defense Trap—a C-rank Spellcraft card, but nowhere near the power of something like Negate Attack.
Even as Irene activated it, the spinning HERO Barrier could only block one of the Mokey Mokeys.
"Too bad~ Keep going, Mokey Mokeys!"
One tofu block was only pushed back on the HERO Barrier as its attack was negated, while the other two targeted Sparkman and Knospe with attacks.
[Sparkman, ATK: 1600]
[Mokey Mokey, ATK: 2300]
"Annihilate!"
The Spark Blaster Equipped Sparkman was hit by the small punch of the extremely empowered tiny tofu Monster, overshadowed by a massive and menacing phantom of itself behind a pyramid.
[Irene, LP: 2000 → 1300]
[Knospe, ATK: 600]
[Mokey Mokey, ATK: 2300]
"Smash—!"
"Aaaaahhhhhh!"
[Irene, LP: 1300 → 0]
Both Elemental HERO monsters on the field were shattered by the Mokey Mokeys, crushed beneath the tofu cubes' fearsome series of attacks.
Irene was blasted backward by the real-damage shock and hit 0 Life Points.
"Duel over. Winner… Aisha Yuna Carlos."
Though she was just as stunned inside, Miss Erin, cigarette clenched between her teeth, tried her best to stay calm.
If she acted shocked every week at Aisha Carlos's practical test results, she'd lose all credibility as a homeroom teacher.
"Hahahahahahaha~" The second-year side was filled with Irena's gloating laughter after her successful bet. "Now that the Duel's over, I guess I don't have to pay up."
Laid out flat on the Duel Field floor like a fallen starfish, Irene started mumbling to herself.
"What just happened… I actually lost to Ai-chan. This is the first time—I've never lost a Duel to her before… No, no, this can't be happening. Something's not right."
Though she lost the Duel, the experience had brought Irene a step closer to the truth.
Once all impossible explanations are eliminated, whatever remains—no matter how unbelievable—must be the truth.
Kevin, on the other hand, wasn't nearly so insightful.
From this Duel, he seemed to arrive at a different "truth."
"As I suspected… Aisha Yuna Carlos is not like those other dumb, annoying girls. She's my destined rival!"
This time, it wasn't an Exchange tactic—but a complete victory using Aisha's own low-level monsters to crush the Elemental HEROs.
To Kevin Seth, that made it clear—Aisha's strength wasn't just luck.
"I've got to find a way to get close to her—my fated rival!"
Having just confirmed for the first time in his life that he was interested in a "girl," Kevin felt like a door to a whole new world had opened. He wanted to learn more about Aisha Carlos.
And so, Kevin couldn't wait. The moment the Duel ended, he walked straight up.
"Aisha, wait!" Kevin stepped forward and raised his hand.
—Soul Exchange.
As promised, Miles returned control of the body to Aisha right after the Duel.
"Ah? What is it, Kevin?"
"Uh, no…"
Kevin's extended hand awkwardly froze in midair.
"N-Nothing."
Withdrawing his hand, Kevin once again fell into confusion.
Why? During the Duel, he'd been so sure.
But now, the Aisha before him seemed like just another ditzy girl at the academy.
That feeling of destined rivalry…was gone.
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]