"I enter the Battle Phase!"
At Hu Tao's declaration, the cursor on her Duel Stage shifted to the Battle Phase.
"Hehe~"
"This turn, I'll finish you in one blow! Don't start crying now, consultant~"
Zhongli nodded calmly, not shaken in the slightest. Instead, he replied in his deep voice:
"Hall Master, don't rejoice too soon. Or joy may turn to sorrow..."
Hu Tao tilted her head with a grin.
"Mm-hmm~ got it."
"But... I won't be the one to sorrow!"
Though she hadn't used her Normal Summon this turn,
Hu Tao already had two monsters on the field—both with solid ATK.
Especially King of the Skull Servants. Even against full Life Points it could end things in a single swing.
And Zhongli only had 2000 left.
[King of the Skull Servants] Level 1│DARK│Zombie│4500 ATK / 0 DEF
[Zombie Master] Level 4│DARK│Zombie│2300 ATK / 0 DEF
"Too bad I don't have more monsters in hand."
"Otherwise I'd summon another just for fun..."
Hu Tao checked her hand and shook her head. The rest were Spells and Traps—useless for now.
Because she had used Zombie Master's effect, she had discarded her only monster, [Skull Servant], sending it to the Graveyard. That had both summoned King of the Skull Servants and boosted its ATK by 1000.
Even without more summons, her current field was more than enough.
"I'll have Zombie Master attack your Set monster."
In her mind, no Level 4 monster had DEF high enough to withstand 2300 ATK.
So she ordered Zombie Master to strike Zhongli's face-down.
Zombie Master obeyed, drawing his dagger and chanting. The silver blade glowed red with enchantment.
He hurled it at Zhongli's face-down monster.
The card flipped.
[Red-Eyes Wyvern] Level 4│WIND│Dragon│1800 ATK / 1600 DEF
╵During your End Phase, you can banish this card from your Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Red-Eyes" monster from your Graveyard.
The jet-black Wyvern shielded itself with its wings, but could not withstand the dagger charged with dark magic.
Its seemingly impenetrable wings shattered like paper, breaking into digital fragments before vanishing with a pitiful cry.
With Red-Eyes Wyvern destroyed, those still hoping for Zhongli's victory...
Now fell into despair.
Facing Hu Tao's 4500 ATK King of the Skull Servants, Zhongli's field was empty.
What hope they had pinned on the Set monster was gone—Red-Eyes Wyvern had no effect to halt Hu Tao's advance.
"Ah..."
"If only Zhongli still had his Magic Cylinder..."
"With one reflect, Hall Master Hu would've been done!"
"What a shame..."
Hu Tao, pleased after breaking through Zhongli's Wyvern, wore a smug smile.
Yet, Zhongli remained calm as ever, as if he held the advantage.
Hu Tao directed King of the Skull Servants to attack.
"Go!"
"King of the Skull Servants!"
"This is the final blow—direct attack Zhongli!"
As Hu Tao commanded, the little ghost beside her whispered "hoo-hoo," warning her it had a bad feeling.
Hu Tao ignored it.
She knew Zhongli didn't have another Magic Cylinder—they had opened their packs together at Wangsheng, and she remembered clearly.
King of the Skull Servants obeyed, unleashing a spell of bone spears.
A vast void vortex opened before it, launching dozens of massive bone spikes straight at Zhongli.
With only 2000 LP left against a 4500 ATK strike, this would end him.
Those who had bet on Hu Tao winning already cracked open their cider, drinking eagerly.
Those who bet on Zhongli were already planning to walk off their loss in the breeze atop Yujing Terrace.
Keqing and Xingqiu, however, watched intently.
Zhongli still had one Set Trap.
The storm of bone spikes surged toward him.
At that moment, Zhongli stroked his chin and said calmly, like a true master:
"That will be enough for this duel."
"I activate the Trap Card—[Dimension Wall]."
...
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