The insect chimaera screeched in pure horror as the nging of its chitin reverberated through the silent arena.


    "Kekeke."


    A viciousugh permeated by madness shattered everyone''s sense of safety despite the distance.


    Dread''s icy fingers gripped their hearts as they anticipated the creature''s appearance.


    Contrary to their expectations of seeing shining stars, billowing fogs, or the appearance of a dreadful stallion.


    A wrinkly man walked out of the castle, his casual stroll raising a wave of hushed whispers.


    After noticing the attack value disyed above his head, they exploded into boisterous chatter and even cursed him after the dramatic summoning.


    ATK 0


    "Hahaha. What can a mana-less tier-one old scientist do? You almost scared me with that grand show and determined roars."


    Mia''s derisive sneer filled the arena.


    Yet, the chimaera''s despair-filled shrieks intensified with each step the man took.


    And he understood it. The horrors the manmitted were branded into its very soul. Even in death, it would never forget or forgive him.


    "You thought you could stop my rise with a tier-five monster? By cheating? I dere loud and clear before everyone. Cheat all you want. Fill your decks with horrible monsters. You''ll need them because I am the best!"


    He cut through her snickers, his voice as sharp and lethal as the tier-nine demonic cleaver and his defiance burning brighter than its mes.


    Then, he continued, mming his desk as hismand fused through the air.


    "Hey bastard, quitughing and do your thing."


    Upon hearing his voice, Ignatius'' shoulders trembled with rage and fear.


    Without wasting a second, he pointed at the chimaera''s heart.


    Compelled by a force escaping the crowd''s and Mia''sprehension, the dark monster dropped to its knees, crying in anguish. But no one could save it from its creator.


    In a dark blur, it plunged its ws into its chest, chitin and blood flying in a bone-chilling rain.


    Then, Ignatius inserted something into it before its old body copsed and exploded into a rain of sparks. Dead.


    A stunned silence descended. The man died? Just after arriving?


    "Booh!"


    "Give up already if you are going to make your monsters kill themselves!"


    "The heck was that proud deration? You''re just throwing alchemical powder at our eyes!"


    Amidst the burgeoning chaos, Shepard noticed the chimaera''s open chest shift.


    "Something terrible is happening."


    Despite his arcanist tier and all the lethal spells at his disposal, a feeling of pure dread he had never felt again after his confrontation with the evil ghost king shattered his confidence.


    ROAR


    A sudden roar shattered everyone''s doubts the next second, forcing them to watch ck-jawed.


    Like a terrifying mass of broken muscles and chitin, the chimaera''s frame bloated. In a second, the ugly mess reached eight meters before thick gori arms sprouted.


    Four leathery wings shot from its back, raising a furious gale as they unfurled. A mix of cheetah''s and bear''s paws, ending in de-like ws, came to grace the terror''s lower body.


    Even their wildest nightmares wouldn''t have shown them something so horrifying.


    Everyone trembled, the noise of their chattering legs and teeth echoing. The smell of ammonia rose from ces where weaker minds couldn''t handle the shock.


    Finally, a horrifying head blossomed above a colossal monkey''s torso. Its maw glinted with rows of razor-sharp triangr teeth as its falcon''s eyes peered through the crowd''s soul.


    "Kekeke."


    Ignatius'' contortedugh reverberated, forcing the arcanists to frown in unison.


    The threat emanating from the creature was off the charts. Even its attack was unnatural for a tier four monster.


    ATK 3200


    "Shut up and eat, bastard!"


    Adam''smand overwhelmed theughter, returning a semnce ofposure to the others.


    Yet, it shattered the next second as the gori''s arms gripped the struggling Duhan and the banshee queen.


    Eyes glinting with greed, it threw them into its mouth, gulping as he swallowed the once powerful creatures.


    "Ignatius the devourer''s effect: if he is summoned using a chimaera monster, he can parasitise its body, rising to the fourth tier and bing Ignatius the world devourer. I can then sacrifice as many monsters as I possess to feed his evolution."


    His words lingered for a second, and his fists shook as Mia''s convulsing hand registered in his eyes.


    Then, he roared, swinging his fist in her direction.


    "He inherits half their natural strength and one of their effects!"


    "Kekeke."


    The madughter chilled the arena as the attack value soared.


    ATK 3200->5800


    But Ignatius'' show was far from over. As he digested the two ghosts, sending them straight to the graveyard, its muscles shifted again, condensing and turning pale.


    Its size reduced to three meters, and its bestial limbs refined themselves to look ghostly.


    "Bring the Duhan back and destroy the annoying lizard."


    An obsidian great sword appeared in its hand as he shrieked like a banshee. In a swirl of grey fog, the Duhan rose from the dead, the noise of legs shaking in its greaves reverberating.


    Before everyone''s chaotic mind, Ignatius disappeared next. Not even the arcanists could follow his movement.


    SRIEK


    An agonising shriek rumbled in the arena as a colossal head spiralled into the sky the next second.@@novelbin@@


    The several dozen-meter-tall dragon''s body plunged next, shattering the mountainous terrain and raising an obscure veil of scarlet dust.


    "Use the Duhan''s effect to destroy her castle!"


    At his icymand, Mia''s arrogance shattered like a mirror. Questions raged in her mind, deafening the surrounding chaos. How did a tier-five elemental dragon lose so fast? Where did such a nightmarish creature exist? How did he get that card?


    Despite her confusion, the arcanists knew one of the answers. And among them, Shepard knew two.


    Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    "That crazy brat! That''s why he almost died. He fought a tier-four mythical creaturest year!"


    Shepard clutched his head in disbelief, finally slotting the puzzle''s pieces together.


    Meanwhile, a rain of cursed spears shattered Mia''s second castle as the Duhan''s stallion marched to herst.


    ''This duel is finally over.''


    Adam sighed, a sense of relief washing over him, releasing the tension gripping his nerves.


    Then, weakness assaulted him, forcing him to clutch the desk''s edges to remain standing.


    Despite the victory, the duel''s mental toll shook his soul''s core. He had almost lost, then almost won, only to almost lose again. But finally, finally, everything will end on the next turn.


    No matter what Mia did, she wouldn''te back. Ignatius was just too powerful after devouring two tier-four monsters. Even if she could bring her dragon by some miracle, it would only die again.


    He closed his eyes, waiting for her next move.


    Yet, contrary to his expectation, silence lingered.


    Then she yelled, pulling her hair in disbelief, tearing locks out.


    "It''s impossible! You can''t beat the tier-five monster Edgar gave me. You are a bastard, a cheater."


    "Coming from a cheater, I almost feel offended. But I didn''t. I killed the bastard with my own two hands."


    He shook his head, amused by her sore loser attitude after all the perverse provocations.


    "Lies! Deceptions! How dare you sully my and my mentor''s honor? You deserve death!"


    In a shocking show of folly, she gripped the grimoire resting on her belt and glistening wand.


    Chants reverberated next, causing everyone''s eyes to bulge at her decision. She had given up on the duel and prepared to attack!