Trading Card Games—a type of card game in which players compete against each other using cards with various illustrations and effects. Gameplay in TCGs is typically turn-based, with each player starting with a shuffled deck, then drawing and playing cards in turn to achieve a win condition before their opponent, often by reducing their opponent’s hit points by using cards to summon monsters, cast spells, or attack with special effects.
Trading Card Games’ strategic gameplay, and the rarity and collectability of the cards themselves, has attracted many players from all walks of life. It’s a distinct and passionate genre, with tournaments held all over the world, and rare cards that can sometimes be worth enough to buy a multimillion-dollar mansion.
Takuto was somewhat familiar with TCGs too. He never could afford to buy a pricey rare card, nor did he build decks to compete with, but he enjoyed looking up cards online and watching tournaments. He had a smattering of knowledge on the genre. Of the countless TCGs out there, he listed off a few that he knew.
“TCGs, huh… Was it Animetic Universe? Blood and Crystal?”
“What was it again?” Yu pondered. “It was something-something-Kings.”
“Seven God Kings? I’m personally not a fan because it’s so deeply associated with finance speculation. I’m a big fan of the gameplay and setting, though…”
One game came to mind: Seven God Kings, colloquially known as SGK. It’s unique even among TCGs. The cards themselves have acquired commercial value, and as such, many of them are by far the most expensive out there. At one time, wealthy people were so crazy about collecting the cards that it was rumored they were storing SGK cards in their safes instead of gold bars.
As someone who found value in the game itself, Takuto was bitter about the sharp rise in prices and the popularity boom that had nothing to do with the actual game. He was frankly displeased to hear Yu mention it.
We might’ve come up against SGK characters, huh? Glad we didn’t have to, since it has a lot of unbalanced magic and monsters, but I’m surprised Yu took them out. I would’ve liked to have seen a SGK character in the flesh at least once, but I suppose that’s out of the question now.
The Seven God Kings Player, Masato Kigou, had already been eliminated from this world. In which case, his game should’ve been eliminated as well.
What kind of background did Kigou have? What was his Witch like? Takuto was curious, but their time had come and gone, and there was nothing he could do about it now.
“Woo-hoo! You know it! What a relief, man! Now I can stop worrying about not knowing anything about it!” Yu whooped.
“…Hm? What do you mean? Kigou was eliminated, wasn’t he?”
The warning alarms that had muted with his interest in the Seven God Kings came blaring back on. Something damning was going on in the background. And his so-called ally was about to make what that was clear. Sweat trickled down the forehead of Takuto’s body double and his real body in the Accursed Lands.
“Yeaaah, about that…” Yu hemmed and hawed. “It seems when I defeated Kigou, his deck somehow remained in this world, ahaha! And then the Succubi ladies made off with it!”
“You freaking idiot!!”
Takuto nearly snapped. Actually, judging by his furious tone, he did snap. As someone who spoke relatively politely to everyone, this was a rare case of him using slang and raising his voice. That just went to show how shaken he was by this devastating news. Yu should be grateful he didn’t piss him off enough to cuss him out.
“I’m sorry, man! I’m so sorry! I mean, I thought it’d disappear! That it’d be done and gone when I defeated him! Then, for some reason, the cards he was holding just fell to the ground! I was thinking, ‘Oh, it’s a trading card, so is that how it works?,’ when the Succubus scooped it up!”
“I-I’m terribly sorry! It’s all my fault!” Ai interjected. “A Succubus lady nearly captured me, so Master prioritized rescuing me instead! That’s why he couldn’t think about going after the cards. And by the time we realized it, they ran off with them…”
Yu and Ai apologized profusely with tears misting their eyes. This wasn’t a matter that could just be brushed off because they were kind enough to apologize.
“Okay, let me get this straight. Does this mean the Succubus faction is actually made up of the Succubi and Elven Armies, three Elf Saints, two Players and two Witches, and to top it all off, they even have the freaking SGK system at their disposal?!” Takuto roared.
“R-Right you are…ahaha! When you put it like that, sounds like we’re majorly screwed! Let’s treasure this alliance of ours forevermore!!!”
“Damn right! Don’t you dare betray me! I’m not kidding!”
“I-I won’t! Don’t betray me either, King Takuto!”
“How the hell am I going to betray you under these circumstances?!”
Crap. We’re screwed. Royally screwed. It’s very possible the enemy has far more powerful forces than I anticipated. Growing pissed off with the breeze that remained gentle despite his turmoil, Takuto racked his mind to recall what he knew about the Seven God Kings’ system.
In the Seven God Kings, cards require mana with the corresponding element to be played. Conversely, without mana, nothing can be done. …But wait! This world has Dragon Vein Mines! Eternal Nations can use them, so it wouldn’t be strange if the SGK system could use them as well.
All the pieces began to fit perfectly together.
Since the Seven God Kings is a game primarily designed for players to duel against each other, it specializes in individual battles, similar to RPGs, and is weak against sheer numbers. On the other hand, individual battles allow for complex, strategic moves, making it difficult to counter your opponent’s tactics. After all, there are a ton of abilities and spells that can be used to directly attack the opposing player.
You would be devoured on the spot if you let your guard down for even a second.
Counterspells, giant-killing, one-turn kills, endless combos… There are as many strategies as there are cards in your deck. Such was the nature of Trading Card Games.
We’re in deep. Real deep. I know why the Succubi are so fixated on El-Nah now. A Dragon Vein Mine must exist somewhere in their vast territory. There’s no way of knowing how many they have, but if they can dig up at least two, then it should be possible to create an infinite summon combo with a mana-producing card! …Damn it all!
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!” Takuto let out a voiceless scream.
Watching him suffer, Atou whispered beside him with an enraptured expression and voice. “Hehehe. Things are starting to get exciting. Your Atou is truly looking forward to how you pull through this one, King Takuto.”
Atou encouraged him with an ear-to-ear smile that the real her had never shown him before. Takuto couldn’t even glare at her—at the Vittorio inside of her.
Meanwhile, Takuto’s reaction seemed to have alerted Yu to the danger at last. His face was whiter than a sheet as he repeatedly muttered, “Crap, crap, crap.”
“Oh no, Master. Please do your best. Your Ai believes in you!”
“Please do your very best, King Takuto~♪!”
The two girls cheered on their masters, one sounding distraught, the other delighted. The masters in question were too shaken to register what they had said. The RPG Hero and the King of Ruin writhed about all too pathetically for their lofty titles.