Card Duels: Start by deducing the Blue Eyes White Dragon!

"Wow, that's amazing!" He Nuonuo exclaimed, her already large eyes widening even further.

Standing between He Nuonuo and Zhang Mingyun, Su Chengyang couldn't help but feel like he was caught between two completely different worlds.

He Nuonuo was the epitome of a Japanese-style moe girl—petite, with a round face, big eyes, and an overall doll-like appearance. She looked like she had jumped straight out of an anime. Even without wearing a cosplay outfit, she radiated a strong "2D" vibe. As a Cartoon Race Magic Card Master, this impression was only amplified.

As for Zhang Mingyun? Well, if his appearance were used as a reference for an anime character, it would probably end up as a cautionary tale in advanced art textbooks—or worse, become a meme on Bilibili.

"You actually succeeded? Did you change the card's design or something?" He Nuonuo pointed her finger at Su Chengyang, almost poking his nose.

"Just wait and call me 'Daddy' later," Su Chengyang shot back.

As soon as he said this, He Nuonuo's face twisted into an exaggerated pout. She spun around dramatically and threw herself at their homeroom teacher, Jiang Qingmiao.

"Teacher, look at him! He's bullying me! How could he be so mean to a girl?" she whined, her voice dripping with fake sadness.

Jiang Qingmiao, however, skipped the usual formalities and went straight to the point.

"Su Chengyang, just apologize," she said.

"I'm sorry," Su Chengyang said immediately.

"You two have no emotional depth at all!" He Nuonuo complained, but seeing that Jiang Qingmiao's attention was now fully on Su Chengyang, she gave up and retreated.

Su Chengyang gave his teacher a grateful look. Jiang Qingmiao had always given him the impression that she wasn't much older than him. This was a common illusion in the world of Magic Card Masters, where one's appearance often didn't match their actual age. A white-haired old man in his seventies might genuinely be elderly, while a teenager-looking individual could actually be a thousand-year-old, god-tier Magic Card Master who just refused to grow up.

Jiang Qingmiao had long, silvery hair that cascaded down her back and wine-red eyes. If not for her soft facial features and distinctly East Asian appearance, one might mistake her for a foreigner. This was another peculiarity of the Magic Card Master world—when one's power reached a certain level, their spiritual energy and physical body would evolve, leading to natural changes in hair and eye color.

At the moment, Jiang Qingmiao was dressed in a tailored white teacher's suit, sitting upright with perfect posture. She nodded at Su Chengyang.

"Take a seat here. The seventh group's match is almost over, and you're up after the eighth group."

"Got it, teacher," Su Chengyang replied, sitting down next to He Nuonuo. Zhang Mingyun took the seat to Su Chengyang's right.

Some students in the back row watched this scene with envy. Ever since Su Chengyang had awakened his Magic Card Master abilities at 16 and enrolled in Qingbei Academy's Class 3, Jiang Qingmiao had always held him in high regard, often giving him preferential treatment.

"Having a strong talent is really something," one student muttered under their breath. The ability to replicate magic card monsters? That was a top-tier talent that hadn't even been recorded in the talent encyclopedia before Su Chengyang.

"Sitting in the front row doesn't mean much. In the end, it's all about strength," Wang Yin whispered to himself, his hands clasped together as if praying to the Supreme Rules for a miracle. He hoped he could perform beyond his usual limits. After the seventh group's match, it would be his turn in the eighth group.

The elite class selection was both brutal and fair. The 48 students in the class were divided into 12 groups of four. Each group would produce one winner, resulting in 12 students advancing to the next round. The selection was extremely strict—some students wouldn't even get a chance to step onto the dueling stage before being eliminated in the preliminary screening. This was what Wang Yin was worried about.

Meanwhile, in the front row, Su Chengyang ignored He Nuonuo's antics—he was used to her by now—and focused on the dueling arena. The 200-meter-wide arena was more than enough for three-star magic card monsters to battle. The arena's materials were specially designed to withstand attacks below the five-star level without sustaining any damage.

Above the arena, a massive screen displayed information about the two duelists and their main magic cards.

[Duelist: Lin Yaxuan (Third Tier - Advanced)]

[Main Combat Magic Card: Explosive Rock Beast (3-star, Blue)]

[Monster Race: Natural Clan (Earth Attribute)]

[Health Points: 1949/3100 (Enhanced by Armament Card - Demon Flame, which adds 500 HP)]

[Combat Power/Defense: 990/1050 (Enhanced by Armament Card - Demon Flame, which adds 150 to both attack and defense)]

"The Natural Clan's Explosive Rock Beast," Su Chengyang murmured, studying the massive creature on the field. It stood about five meters tall, resembling a small mountain, with thick, rocky arms wreathed in demonic flames. Drops of flame occasionally fell from its body, leaving behind patches of fire that refused to extinguish.

He Nuonuo leaned over and whispered, "That's Lin Yaxuan's family heirloom card. She's always kept it hidden. I didn't know she was from a noble family in Lin City. The card's true power probably lies in how it synergizes with her talent. Watch closely—she has a high chance of winning."

"Got it," Su Chengyang nodded. Lin Yaxuan had always been quiet and reserved, rarely interacting with others. He hadn't expected her to come from such a prestigious background. Family heirloom cards were powerful not only because of their superior stats but also because they had a natural affinity with their family members, allowing them to unleash 95% or even 100% of their potential.

Su Chengyang then turned his attention to the other duelist's information.

[Duelist: Zhang Tiansuo (Third Tier - Advanced)]

[Main Combat Magic Card: Drama Master - The Smiling Jester (3-star, Blue)]

[Monster Race: Shadow Clan (Dark Attribute)]

[Health Points: 1290/2450 (Enhanced by Armament Card - Magician's Cloak, which increases evasion and combat power)]

[Combat Power/Defense: 1100/750 (Enhanced by Armament Card - Magician's Cloak, which adds 200 to attack and 50 to defense)]

On paper, Zhang Tiansuo was at a clear disadvantage. The Smiling Jester had high attack power but lacked any other significant advantages. Meanwhile, the Explosive Rock Beast's defense was a staggering 1050 points, making it incredibly difficult to deal significant damage.

"Don't listen to He Nuonuo, Old Su. Zhang Tiansuo's a sneaky one—he's definitely hiding something," Zhang Mingyun interjected, sharing his own analysis.

"Good point," Su Chengyang agreed. Zhang Tiansuo had always been the type to joke around and chat with everyone, making him quite popular. But in previous matches, he had always managed to "accidentally" exploit his opponents' weaknesses and secure victory.

Su Chengyang rested his chin on his hand, his eyes fixed on the duel. He was ready to see how this battle would unfold.

...

(End of Chapter)