Chapter 27 : The City That Encircles the World

On the card, an unspeakable creature floats in the void, exuding infinite malice.

Powerful ram horns grow on both sides of its head, and within them are enormous vertical pupils and six densely packed, slender eyes, all staring in one direction, as if they can see through the card directly to the duelist using it.

Just these details alone are enough to suggest that this card is extraordinary.

But what truly makes this creature “unspeakable” is its body.

This creature has no limbs; instead, countless tentacles writhe and dance in the air.

Just a glance at those tentacles made Tivia shiver.

Because of this, her gaze towards Sonia became even more incredulous.

“Xiaoya, did you pick up the wrong card?”

“No, this is the one, what’s wrong with it?”

“What’s wrong… Everything’s wrong, isn’t this a Dark-type card?!”

Tivia looked at the card in Sonia’s hand, completely bewildered.

Why would Xiaoya choose a Dark-type card?!

Suddenly, a guess flashed through her mind.

“Xiaoya, you’re not thinking of switching to a Dark-type deck, are you?”

Tivia was startled by this possibility and immediately grabbed Sonia’s shoulders, shaking her repeatedly.

She knew that her best friend’s personality wasn’t really suited for Fire-type.

But to switch to Dark-type?!

“You, with a personality that wouldn’t even step on an ant, switching to Dark-type, where everyone’s supposedly evil, isn’t that just jumping into another big pit?!”

“Ti… Tivia, slow down, you’re making me dizzy…”

Sonia felt her entire world spinning.

At this moment, she could only call for help from the only one who could save her, and also the instigator, a certain spiritual entity behind her.

“Mr. Yide, help me…”

“Ahem, I’ll say something fair here, it’s not like everyone in the Dark-type is evil…”

“Is this really the time to be debating that, Mr. Yide?!”

“Besides, didn’t a bad woman using a Dark-type deck kick you away, Mr. Yide?!”

“It’s really unconvincing for Mr. Yide to say something like that!”

Yide: “…”

The spiritual entity immediately retreated into himself.

Lies don’t hurt, the truth is a sharp knife.

At the critical moment, the principal, who was nearby, came to Sonia’s rescue.

“Trust Sonia’s choice, Tivia.”

The principal stroked his mustache: “Perhaps there’s something we don’t know that led Sonia to make this choice.”

Sonia immediately nodded: “Exactly, exactly, Grandpa Principal is right.”

Hearing the principal’s explanation, Tivia stopped shaking.

But her eyes were still full of confusion: “Then what are you planning to do with a Dark-type card, Xiaoya?”

“Dark-type aside, it’s also a ten-star card; such a card is simply impossible to use in actual combat.”

In fact, the second question was Tivia’s biggest concern.

Most duels end within six or seven turns.

Even if Sonia genuinely wanted to switch to Dark-type, a ten-star level is simply an impossible level to play.

Not to mention, this minion’s effect isn’t something that can immediately change the tide of battle just by playing it.

Therefore, Tivia felt this card was among the weakest in the entire binder.

That was the reason she didn’t understand Sonia’s choice.

The principal nodded, his expression also becoming serious: “To be honest, I obtained this card after defeating a dark duelist when I was young.”

“I thought I’d never see this card again after I put it in the card album. I never imagined you’d choose it, Sonia.”

“Can you tell me why you chose this card?”

Sonia: “Mr. Yide, don’t sulk. If you don’t give me a reason, I can’t bluff my way out of this.”

“Ahem, I’ve been listening all along.”

Yide clarified that he wasn’t sulking, then continued: “Your best friend’s analysis isn’t wrong. Normally, by the time this card is played and takes effect, you’d already be defeated by your opponent.”

“First, this card has too high a cost. Second, it doesn’t take effect immediately upon entering the field. Third, it can’t prevent your opponent’s finishing blow.”

“Looking at it this way, this card is indeed a complete dud card.”

“But sometimes, minions don’t necessarily have to be played from your hand.”

Yide revealed a mysterious smile.

“Don’t necessarily have to be played from the hand?”

Tivia was momentarily stunned.

Then how else could it be played?

Revived from the graveyard?

She knew of similar tactics, but those were mostly strategies used by Light and Dark-type decks.

Wouldn’t that still require switching?

The principal’s expression remained unchanged.

However, upon hearing Sonia repeat Yide’s words, a gleam also flashed in his normally smiling eyes.

“It seems Sonia has some new ideas.”

“Then I’ll look forward to it.”

After choosing the C-rank card, the two girls didn’t linger.

Walking on the streets of the Upper City, Tivia sighed again: “In the end, you still weren’t able to re-enroll, Xiaoya.”

“Even though Xiaoya already defeated Edward.”

At the mention of this, she once again felt indignant for Sonia: “It’s so unfair! Even though Xiaoya defeated Edward, they still won’t give you a chance to enroll. Why not?!”

“The Board of Directors is clearly abusing their power!”

It was clear that not only the principal, but even Tivia was now dissatisfied with the Duel Academy’s Board of Directors.

Of course, she didn’t forget the biggest force behind Sonia’s inability to enroll.

“Hmph, the Ixion family, I’ll remember that.”

Tivia clenched her fists.

No matter what conflict the Ixion family has with Xiaoya, she wouldn’t let this matter go so easily!

Seeing her best friend so angry, Sonia, the one involved, instead tried to comfort her: “It’s okay, Tivia.”

“I didn’t come away from this trip with nothing, you know.”

The girl counted on her fingers: “Not only did I prove myself to others, got promoted to D-rank, but I also received a C-rank card from Grandpa Principal as compensation.”

“I’d have to participate in countless duels in the Lower City to get such gains.”

Tivia became anxious: “How can one C-rank card make up for your loss?”

“Besides, you gave me back the original [Mana Wyrm] card, so wouldn’t that mean you didn’t earn anything in the end?!”

Looking at the card her best friend had just forced back into her hand, the red-haired girl couldn’t help but sigh.

“And, that’s not even the main point I want to make.”

“If you don’t have student status, Xiaoya, you won’t be able to participate in next year’s Explorer selection at the academy.”

Explorer selection?

Yide became curious.

What was that?

Sonia was also surprised, though her surprise was different from Yide’s.

“So you’ve been thinking about that all this time, Tivia?”

“Of course! I’ve always been looking forward to being teammates with you in our second or third year and exploring the World Tree together.”

Tivia was a bit sullen: “If your strength was still what it was before, Xiaoya, I wouldn’t dare to dream of this.”

“But now your strength has advanced by leaps and bounds, and finally there was hope, but the Board of Directors won’t allow you to re-enroll. It’s just too much.”

“Wait, wait, what are you two talking about?”

Yide, floating in the air nearby, finally couldn’t help but interrupt Sonia.

“What’s an Explorer? What’s the World Tree? Can you explain it to me?”

“Huh, haven’t I told Mr. Yide yet?”

Sonia was a little stunned.

“Oh right, I’ve been in the Lower City all this time, and haven’t had a chance to tell Mr. Yide.”

“But, when we came to the Upper City, Mr. Yide should have been able to see it.”

“Could it be that Mr. Yide hasn’t looked at the sky yet?”

“The sky? What’s in the sky…”

Yide’s voice trailed off.

Sonia also looked up, following the ethereal branches and leaves above them, so translucent that sunlight passed through them, yet seeming to replace the sky itself.

Her gaze continued upwards to the enormous tree in the very center of the Upper City, a tree that seemed to support the entire world.

She whispered to herself.

“This is a sight you can only see in the Upper City.”

“It’s precisely because this city was built around the World Tree that it’s called Ringed World City…”

“The City that rings the World.”