"So, which card are you planning to use?" Abby watched Gudako with amusement. She could easily interrupt Gudako's actions right now, but seeing her struggle so desperately to transform must mean she was about to use an incredibly powerful card. Abby held immense power here; letting Gudako put on a little show wouldn't hurt.
Gudako clutched the card tightly. If even Gilgamesh couldn't defeat this enemy, then conventional combat was useless. An opponent with such bizarre abilities would be a waste if they weren't a villain. No matter what, she couldn't afford to lose here. That meant she had to win through means other than battle.
The next moment, a golden pillar of light pierced the sky and swept across the land. The surge of magical power nearly caused the entire dreamscape to collapse.
Abby hastily stabilized the dream. If it truly shattered and allowed the Father God to descend, this planet would be doomed.
"This level of power... that card... It's Him, isn't it?"
Abby's tone carried a hint of respect.
Her reaction piqued Gudako's curiosity. With Abby's current strength, she would be among the most powerful beings even in several Singularities—though Gudako wondered how she would fare against Tiamat. If Abby held such an attitude toward Jiang You, his identity must be far from simple.
But regardless, she was the enemy now.
To achieve her goal, Gudako wasted no more words. She launched an attack on Abby while simultaneously activating Jiang You's Noble Phantasm. Her only hope was that Abby either didn't know Jiang You's abilities or wouldn't react in time, allowing Gudako to drag her into the Duel Space. To her, the Duel had always been a miraculous ability, giving the weak a chance to overcome the strong.
But of course, Abby knew Jiang You's abilities perfectly well; her Father God had told her everything. She didn't dodge Gudako's attack but met it head-on. The Magic Bullets vanished into her as if sinking into the sea, leaving not a single ripple.
"You're... trying to challenge me to a Duel, aren't you?"
Abby brushed off non-existent dust from her clothes and began to laugh.
"Hahahahaha!"
Her laughter grew increasingly unhinged as her hair gradually turned white. The long ribbons of her dress began to lengthen, writhing through the air like tentacles. If the previous Abby still retained some warmth, the current one was utterly cold. A purple light pulsed from the keyhole on her forehead.
"Are you serious? Are you sure you want to Duel me?"
A profound sense of unease washed over Gudako. She knew the Deck generated cards corresponding to the wielder's strength, and Abby's current display made her undoubtedly the most powerful enemy she had ever faced (she hadn't been the main combatant against Tiamat). Gudako had no confidence, but she also had no chance of winning a conventional battle against this Abby. Her only hope lay with the Servants she had encountered on her journey. She tried to bolster her own spirits. I will win!
"Hahahahahaha!"
Abby laughed as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world, her expression twisting uncontrollably. Finally, she stifled her laughter and fixed Gudako with a brutally cruel gaze.
"Sorry, I just couldn't hold it in. Since we've come this far, Big Sister, it doesn't matter whether you fall asleep or not anymore.
"So... don't be scared of whatever happens next. I hope your mind can withstand it. Don't lose yourself, okay? Now—let the Shadow game begin! If you lose, you'll fall asleep forever!"
Ritsuka Fujimaru swallowed nervously. Abigail really knew Jiang You well—she even knew about Shadow Games.
Ritsuka Fujimaru LP: 4000
Abigail LP: 4000
"Don't say Abby didn't give you a chance. You can go first."
Abby's current Deck was a special version provided by the Father God, vastly different from her usual one—so different it was almost unrecognizable. It was powerful enough to completely suppress even Tiamat.
"In that case, I'll take the first turn!"
Gudako herself wasn't strong, but her Deck was incredibly diverse. Every Servant she had ever encountered would lend her their aid. Just as Jiang You had said, as long as her Bonds were strong enough, she would never have a dead hand.
"First, I activate the Spell Card Long Journey! I Special Summon one Master card from my Deck! I summon Ritsuka Fujimaru! And..."
"Wait a minute. That's a Spell Card, right?"
A card in Abby's hand flared with intense magical power. "Trap Cards represent schemes, so Spell Cards represent knowledge. And since they represent knowledge—I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card Endless Pursuit from my hand!
"Knowledge is nearly infinite, but how much can a mortal mind truly hold? This card can be activated directly from my hand when my opponent activates a Spell Card. It negates that Spell's effect and returns it to its owner's hand. Furthermore, my opponent cannot chain any effects to this card's activation."
"What is this?!"
Hand traps were extremely rare in this world. Even Jiang You only had Morning Glory and Medea Lily, both of which were for responding to attack declarations. This was the first time Gudako had ever seen an opponent make a move during her first turn.
"Don't mind it too much. This is actually one of the Father God's cards."
Abby knew this card was a bit unfair against Gudako.
"After this card resolves, my opponent must return their entire hand to their Deck, then draw the same number of cards they returned. Each card drawn must be revealed."
An information-gathering card?
Gudako felt that while the card had interrupted her play, it had merely reset her opening hand without achieving its full intended effect.
"Of course, that's not all."
Abby continued, "If a drawn card is a Spell Card, inflict 1000 LP of effect damage to them! If you rely too heavily on Spell Cards, you might just get sent straight to the graveyard, you know."
"!"
Gudako's deck was primarily composed of Servant Cards, followed closely by Spell Cards—the latter making up only slightly less of her deck than the former. If her luck was bad, she could be OTK'd on the very first turn.
First card: a Spell Card!
Ritsuka Fujimaru LP: 4000 → 3000
"Ngh..."
A quarter of her Life Points—not an insignificant amount. The pain from the Shadow Game forced a low groan from her lips.
"Four cards left! Abby's cheering for you, Big Sister!"
In her current state, Abby struck a classic cheerleader pose. In this environment, the normally vibrant and energetic gesture looked more like a sacrificial ritual.
"Go! Fight! Survive!"
Second card: a Servant Card.
Third card: a Servant Card.
It wasn't until the fifth card that she drew another Spell Card.
Ritsuka Fujimaru LP: 3000 → 2000
Feeling the pain wrack her body, Gudako paradoxically breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't lose the Duel in a single turn.
"Now then... for this card's other effect," little Abby said, her smile pure and innocent.
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Spy-ofc outergods bring the hand traps smh