Side Story Chapter 168 - Satellite World, Zexal (6)

“Is everyone ready?”

[Yes, hyung-nim.]

[Haaa... Yeah, I’m ready too.]

[Fufu. So are we, my king.]

The voices of Oh Kang-Woo’s party members sounded from the communication crystal orb. Kang-Woo looked up as he stood in front of the

Duel Tower

, the skyscraper that resembled stairs like the Burj Khalifa, where the Duel King resided.

[Breaking news. There have been reports of unidentified individuals stealing cards throughout the city.]

The glass covering the entire tower were all made of display screens; it was as if the entire building had become one massive television. The words

Breaking News

were sliding across the screen.

[The great Duel King has expressed intense anger at this incident and announced that he would raise the status by two ranks of anyone who defeats these criminals in a Duel as well as personally grant them cards.]

The news anchor who had been calmly reporting the news suddenly raised their arms high as their six eyes shone.

[Everyone! Set out into the streets to quell the great Duel King’s rage! Deliver justice to the forces of evil who defy his will!]

The instigative broadcast reminded Kang-Woo of their neighbors in the north. He wondered if such dictatorship-like remarks were allowed to be broadcast throughout the city but the people reacted far more passionately than he expected.

“YEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!”

“LET US DELIVER JUSTICE TO EVIL!!”

“HOW DARE THEY SEAL OTHER’S CARDS?! UNFORGIVABLE!!”

“RAISE YOUR CARDS FOR THE DUEL KING!!!”

“ALL HAIL THE DUEL KING!!”

“ALL HAIL THE DUEL KING!!”

Entrion shouted as they ran out of a nearby building as soon as the broadcast ended. Kang-Woo couldn’t help but chuckle because he felt like he was witnessing a mob of fanatics.

“If this isn’t a cult, I don’t know what is.”

Kang-Woo was reminded of Akart’s retainers.

‘Well, it’s better this way.’

The stronger their faith was toward the Duel King, the more shocking his downfall would be to them.

“Now, then.” Kang-Woo brought the orb closer to his mouth and ordered, “Begin.”

[Yes, hyung-nim.]

[Fufu. As you command, my king.]

Kim Si-Hun and Lilith’s voices sounded from the orb. Kang-Woo also heard Cha Yeon-Joo, Echidna, Layla, and Han Seol-Ah’s voices.

Crack! Boom!

[Wh-Who are you people?!!]

[Aaaaaahhh!! S-Security!! Call security!!!]

[D-Duel!! Buy some time with a Duel!!]

Screaming and yelling could be heard from the communication orb.

[Where is the broadcasting studio?!!]

[I put all the guards to sleep!]

[The studio is that way!]

Kang-Woo could hear his comrades’ voices as well.

Zzzt!

The broadcast on the building went black soon after.

“H-Huh?”

“The... broadcast!!”

The Entrion expressed confusion and panic. The broadcast being played throughout the city was turned off all of a sudden but only for a moment.

[What is this commotion...?]

The screen soon turned back on but it displayed not the broadcasting studio but one Entrion in lavish clothes sitting on a throne. He was the Duel King, the one whom the citizens of Zexal treated like a god.

“Aaaahh!! O-O great Duel King!!”

“Bow! Bow down!!”

The confused Entrion got on their knees and bowed as soon as the screen displayed the Duel King.

“Alright.”

Kang-Woo smiled as he watched the situation unfold in front of the building and stuffed the orb into his pocket. The live stage of his battle against the Duel King had been set.

“Right, let’s head in.”

Kang-Woo entered the building without hesitation.

“You cannot enter the tower without authorization,” a security guard said.

“Fuck off.”

Bash—!

“Kurgh!!!”

Kang-Woo easily pushed aside the guards blocking his way and walked in.

‘I believe the Duel King lives at the top of the tower.’

He never understood why such people loved top floors so much.

‘Well, whatever.’

Kang-Woo crouched and jumped up with all his might.

Rumble—!!!

He smashed his way through the ceilings to reach the top floor in an instant.

“You are...?”

Kang-Woo encountered the Duel King who had been on the display screen. The Duel King stared at Kang-Woo in confusion for a moment but narrowed his six eyes as he stood up.

He remarked solemnly, “I see. You must be the criminal going around stealing cards.”

His voice carried depth and gravity befitting a king.

“Yeah, that’s right.” Kang-Woo shrugged and lightly nodded.

“Why have you shown yourself before me? Are you here to turn yourself in and beg for forgiveness?”

A powerful aura burst from the Duel King, shaking the surroundings.

“Why else would I have come to meet the Duel King?”

Click.

Kang-Woo smiled and equipped the broken Disk on his left arm.

“Let us battle it out to determine who the true king is.”

“Hah...” The Duel King chuckled at the nonsense. “Are you challenging me to a Duel?”

“You talk too much for a king.” Kang-Woo pulled out a deck he had stuffed into his pocket and pointed it at the Duel King. “If you call yourself a Duelist, you must know what comes before running your mouth.”

The word

Duelist

was like a cheat code in Zexal. The Duel King slightly frowned and then smiled after some time.

“I like your spunk.” The Duel King slowly stood up from his throne. “You are right. A Duelist does not need words. We only need to speak with our cards.”

The Duel King raised his left arm.

Split!

A seventh red eye opened in the middle of his forehead between his six eyes.

He extended his left arm forward and declared, “Allow me to show you what a true Duel looks like.”

Clack!!!

A golden Duel Disk wrapped around his left forearm. His deck was already in his hand before Kang-Woo had realized it.

“Hehe. Yeah, feel free to show me as much as you want,” Kang-Woo answered.

They exchanged decks and shuffled them. Kang-Woo did not use any tricks when shuffling the Duel King’s cards.

‘There’s no need to.’

Kang-Woo would win regardless so there was no point messing with the opponent’s deck and giving him an excuse for his loss.

‘I need to defeat the Duel King at his best.’

To do that, Kang-Woo needed to take measures so that the Duel King could go all out.

“IT’S TIME TO DUEL!” they both shouted.

They gave back the cards to each other and placed the deck inside the Disk cartridge. They then pulled out five cards.

“Who will go first?” Kang-Woo asked.

“It is my right to choose as the challenged but I will yield the choice to the challenger.”

“Really?” Kang-Woo had no reason to refuse. “Then allow me to go first.”

He placed one of his cards on the Disk.

“I summon [Rock Giant] in attack position.”

Whoooom!!

A faint light flowed from the Disk that shouldn’t be functional and a giant made of rocks appeared on the field.

Rumble—!!

The giant that was easily taller than five meters pulled out a rock sword.

“What...?” The Duel King chuckled at the nonsense. “You’re using [Rock Giant]? In attack position?”

[Rock Giant] was a garbage card. It had no special effects and its only redeeming factor was its decent stat. However, its decent stat was in defense and not attack, so there was no point summoning it in attack position.

“Next, I set two cards face down and end my turn.”

“I have... no idea what you are thinking.”

The Duel King frowned, unable to understand Kang-Woo’s moves.

‘But...’

He would never let his guard down in a Duel.

“My turn. I draw.”

The Duel King pulled out a card from his deck.

“Heh...” he smiled faintly.

He had gotten the best set of cards he could have gotten on the first turn.

“I summon [Warrior of the Wasteland].”

A hologram of a monster with double-headed axes in both hands appeared.

“I activate [Warrior of the Wasteland]’s special ability and special summon [Follower of the Wasteland] from my deck.”

The deck in the Duel King’s Disk cartridge shone and a monster with its hands together as if praying was summoned.

“Are you done?” Kang-Woo asked.

“No, I am just getting started.” The Duel King smiled. “As per the effect of the special summon [Follower of the Wasteland], I summon [Goddess of the Sandstorm] to the field!”

A Level 8 goddess appeared on the field without a sacrifice.

Whoosh—!!!

A sandstorm raged on the field once the goddess appeared.

“With the effect of [Goddess of the Sandstorm], I make two copies of [Follower of the Wasteland] and place them on the field!”

Five monsters were summoned in the blink of an eye.

“And with the [Goddess of the Sandstorm]’s second effect, the Attack and Defense Points of all cards with the word

Wasteland

in it are raised by two thousand at the cost of skipping my Battle Phase!!!”

“...”

Not only was the opponent’s field full after only one turn, but the monsters’ stats were insanely high as well.

‘Since we both start with eight thousand Life Points, I’ll die on the opponent’s next turn if I can’t do anything on my turn.’

The Duel King’s cards truly were overpowered.

‘But.’

Kang-Woo smiled coldly and placed his hand over his deck.

“My turn. I draw.”

Kang-Woo stared at the card he pulled and smiled even wider.

“I use the Field Spell Card [Desert]. It raises the Attack and Defense Points of all Earth monsters by two hundred.”

Whoosh—!!!

Sandhills were created as the sandstorm raging on the top of the Duel Tower grew thicker. The sweltering sun heated the sand.

Kang-Woo leisurely crossed his arms and remarked, “I end my turn.”

“You... end your turn? With just that?” The Duel King was left dumbfounded. He burst into laughter and shouted, “AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I thought you were a fearless challenger but I see you were just a lunatic!!!”

The Duel King had no intention of dragging this pathetic Duel any longer.

“It seems you’re depending on a Trap Card you’ve set, but...” The Duel King pulled out a card from his hand. “[Trap Barrier]! None of your traps will have any effect on the monsters on my field!! And thanks to the [Desert] you’ve played, the Attack and Defense Points of my Earth monsters rise even higher!”

‘It’s over,’ the Duel King thought.

“Hear me, my Wasteland army! Have my enemy pay the price for daring to challenge the king!!!”

Rumble—!!!

The entire field shook like an earthquake.

Thud, thud, thud!!

Then, the monsters on the Duel King’s field collapsed one by one.

“What...?”

The Duel King stared wide-eyed at his fallen monsters panting heavily on top of a sandhill.

“Wh-What is this?! What is going on?!!” shouted the Duel King in panic.

His seven eyes pointed at Kang-Woo.

“Pfft!!” Kang-Woo grabbed his stomach and bent forward. “BWEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!”

Kang-Woo laughed vulgarly and danced in place.

“Wh-What is this?! What did you—”

“You still don’t understand?” Kang-Woo clicked his tongue and waved his finger from side to side. “Earth monsters? No, you’re wrong. The attribute of your monsters may be Earth, but they are living and breathing lifeforms in the end.”

“What...?”

“Haaa, do I have to spell everything out for you? Are you sure you’re the Duel King?”

Kang-Woo shook his head in disappointment. If he didn’t know, he would have to learn.

“Have you ever heard of

heatstroke

?”