———-It all started with a single card.
One day, in the late afternoon, I was relaxing in a certain miscellaneous
goods store that had no customers as usual, when I suddenly noticed a
card on the counter.
[…Alice? What's this card?]
[Oya? Aryaa, I must have left it behind when I was building a "deck"…]
[Deck?]
[Yes, deck for "Trinia Battle Cards". TBC for short… Well, putting it
simply, it's a card game.]
[Heehhh… I didn't know there were card games in this world.]
Card games huh… It's a game that many people back on Earth were
crazy about. I used to enjoy it a little bit too.
Well, in the end, I stopped playing. It costs too much money after all… I
also didn't have anyone to play with too…
[In TBC, there are three types of cards: Monster, Magic and Trap. You
battle with these cards, and the one who brings the opponent's HP down
to zero wins. Each monster has its own level, and high-level monsters
require a tribute to be summoned. Monster levels range from 1 to 13,
where level 5 and above monsters require 1 tribute, level 8 and above
monsters require 2 tributes, and level 10 and above monsters require 3
tributes to be summoned. There are also some high-level monsters that
can be summoned through Special Summons though.]
[…Wait, why the heck does those rulings sound familiar?]
[One must have a deck of 50 cards. Both players start with 5 cards in
hand, and they can both draw one card per turn. Kaito-san may be
unfamiliar with it… but it's a card game that's quite popular in this
world, and you can challenge most people you meet eyes with to a battle
by saying "Oi, fight me!".]
[…That sounds unfamiliar, but I also feel like it sounds familiar.]
That's that trading card game, right? It's that world-famous card game
that was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, right? Don't tell
me… Even that was passed down by someone who had the role of Hero?
(T/N: He's talking about YGO.)
This feels strange… This is the first time I've ever heard of that card
game, but I feel like I can play it without having to listen to the rules in
detail.
[The biggest feature of this card game is this! It's the "blank card" that
always comes with every booster pack you buy!]
[…That's something I don't know about… Does that card have any use at
all?]
[It actually contains a piece of magic crystal… and if one traces the edge
of the card twice, they would automatically generate their own personal
"Character Card". The effects and status are also automatically
generated! The higher the quality of one's magic power, the stronger the
card tends to be.]
[…The heck is that. That sounds amazing.]
Alice took out a white card and stroked its edge twice… The blank card
turned into a card with Alice's image on it.
I don't know if I should say that it's to be expected from magic or not,
but it certainly transcends common sense.
[Each person has their own unique cards. Incidentally, I can change the
quality of my magic power, so I could also generate cards with different
qualities.]
[Fumufumu… Anyway, what the heck is with this card's effect… Even I,
who don't know the rules, know that this card is a cheat…]
[Well, I'm one of the Six Kings after all… By the way, here's what it looks
like when I make it with the magic power I had as No Face.]
[…This card's way too much of a bogus…]
[Well, just like mine, the cards of the Six Kings and Supreme Gods are all
super powerful, and so, there are a lot of them. That's why, a certain rule
has been established.]
[And that is?]
[If you win a battle against that player, you can ask them for their
personal Character Card. This rule also goes for ordinary players. A
blank card is always in a booster pack after all, so they can just make as
many as they want.]
[I see… But that would mean there would be a lot of players challenging
you…]
[Yes, that's why one can only challenge a member of the Six Kings and
the Supreme Beings once a year… Moreover, in order to challenge the
leaders, you must win five consecutive battles against their
subordinates… Except for Isis-san. Anyone can freely challenge Isis-san.
Well, to begin with, it's very hard to meet the Six Kings and the Supreme
Gods, so the only place you can challenge them is the Festival of Heroes.]
I see, if you win against ordinary players, you can get their personal
Character Card, so I guess you can collect cards to strengthen your deck,
and then, challenge the Six Kings and the Supreme Gods? That sounds
interesting.
[Well, if it's Kaito-san asking for my Character Card, I can give it to you
even without the battle but… You want to collect them through the
legitimate way, right?]
[…That is, well…]
[A booster pack, containing 5 cards + 1 blank card, costs 3R. If you buy it
as a box, I can give you a discount.]
[And you're starting your sales pitch huh… Hmmm. To be honest though,
I'm a little curious about it. Alice, I'll buy it, so can you tell me more
about the rules?]
[Okie-dokie. Then, if you can beat me, I'll give you my "Grocery Store
Owner – Alice". If you want to challenge me as one of the Six Kings
though, you'll have to win five consecutive battles with my
subordinates… But if you want to battle the Grocery Store Owner me,
you can challenge me as much as you want~~]
And thus, I got involved with TBC, the world's most popular card game.
[Then, how about we start making Kaito-san's personal Character Card?
Now, now, here you go~~]
[…Yeah… Just like this, right… Unnn?]
[…Hey, Kaito-san. You're calling my cards cheat and bogus… but your
card is just too brutal if you ask me.]
[…U- Unnn, indeed…]
At that time, I still didn't clearly understand. The Six Kings, the Supreme
Gods… and the God of Creation, who one can challenge by winning
against all of them… I still didn't clearly understand how strong they
are…
[My turn! Draw! I tribute my magic power tokens to summon my own
Character Card!]
[…Kuhh!]
[…Kaito-kun, you're amazing. You defeated Ein and the others, and
managed to reach me… but you still can't beat me!]
Kuro's card appeared on the field. Its ability was nothing short of
breathtaking. Strong resistance, overwhelming status, and a powerful
effect allow an unlimited use of Magic Cards… And even if I manage to
destroy it, it will still release a strong counterattack.
I don't have any cards in my hand that can prevent Kuro's card from
attacking… Can I even win against it? I mean, I got caught up with the
flow and challenged Kuro… but looking at her card, doesn't it seem like
she shouldn't be the first one I've challenged among the Six Kings!?
[…D*mn it… I wanted Kuro's Character Card so badly, but as expected,
within against you now is…]
[…Y- You really want my card that bad?]
[Eh? Y- Yeah… I mean, it's my "beloved" Kuro's card after all, so I'd like to
acquire it if it's possible… but I'll just try again next year… Now, deal the
finishing blow!]
Kuro's Character Card now has 15000 ATK… Even if I have full HP, I can
still be killed in one hit. So after she attacks a monster on my field… I
would lose.
[…Alright… I use "The Underworld King – Kuromueina"…and "direct
attack to myself"!!!]
[…Huh?]
Yes, indeed, that one card was the beginning. After I gained the others'
attention after winning against the undefeated Kuro, I ended up being
swept with the flow and challenged the other members of the Six Kings.
In addition, I was being plagued by the God of Creation, continuously
urging me to reach her place at every moment she could, and by the God
of Earth, who went as far as learning the rules so that she could play
with me… It seems like my long journey had just begun.