argoflower

Guardner's Struggle Between Life and Death

I compared the cards spread out on the table to the ones in my hand.

It was my opponent's turn now.

My only way to win is to defend myself against the incoming attacks and bet on the next draw.

"I attack with [Enraged Cavalry Captain] and [Eight Headed Serpent of Avalon]!"

My opponent played two cards. The game board installed in the card shop instantly read the holochips and created a miniature cavalry captain and eight headed serpent on the board. And then they launched a powerful attack on my vanguard Guardian.

"Woah, at this rate...!"

"Kazeyuki-shi's* life points are already at 5...! At this rate, isn't he gonna lose?!"

My friends watching over me let out panicked shouts.

"Trick card! Activate [Instant Blizzard]!"

I pulled out the card I saved for this moment and placed it on the board. A trump card that can nullify all of your opponent's attacks just once. A fierce snowstorm blew into the battlefield, causing hologram projections of the cavalry captain and serpent to back away in fear.

They loudly tsk'd and noisily shuffled their cards with a great amount of force.

"According to the tournament rules at this venue, shuffling your cards loudly is prohibited."

"Tch! It's just a habit!"

They slammed their cards on the table in frustration.

I see.

I came to this shop often since it was close by and I've had a few matches against them before. They've always been overbearing, to the point of it being a problem for the other players here.

Card games are meant to connect people together.

It was really unfortunate to see players treat their cards so aggressively during a match.

But...that's exactly why I can't lose!

As a player who loved the world famous card game, Malice of the Guardians - [MotG] - as someone who believed wholeheartedly in the deck he built, and to never forget the promise he made with his friend...!

"It's my turn, draw!"

I...I believe in my cards!

At that moment when I saw the card that flew into my hands, I couldn't help but smile.

"I summon [Swarm of Icicle Worms]!"

I've been waiting for this card!

Countless ice pillars appeared on the board and rushed to attack the opposing team.

"[Swarm of Icicle Worms]'s effect! When my life points are below 10, I can eliminate all of my enemy's vanguard Guardians together! Go, Icicle Worms!"

The worms charged forward with their sharp bodies, freezing the three enemy vanguards. They turned into ice crystals before disappearing from the field. I immediately sent three ice mana cards from my hand to the graveyard.

"When [Swarm of Icicle Worms] retires three or more of the opposing Guardians at the same time, another effect is activated! By offering three ice mana, I can resummon [Defender of the Ice Fortress] from the graveyard to directly attack my opponent's rearguard!"

A beautiful swordsman clad in ice was summoned onto the field. They leapt into the enemy's formation and brandished their greatsword.

"Dammit...! Trick card, [Confining Quicksand]!"

They activated a guard, but--

"[Defender of the Ice Fortress]'s effect! During the turn they're revived from the graveyard, they're able to avoid all of their opponent's Tricks!"

The quicksand that was created by my opponent was instantly frozen and turned into beautiful snow, and my swordsman swept away all the remaining Guardians on their side.

The audience let out a loud cheer.

"It's here! This removal-counter is super strong against a fast aggro deck!"

"Kazeyuki-shi's really showing off his deck's strengths'!"

My friends' voices were encouraging me.

...but in any case, I already did everything I could.

I declared the end of my turn and waited for my opponent's next move. To be honest, I didn't have any cards in my hand that could guard against the next attack. If they were able to come back from this, I'd lose. I waited for them to draw, already prepared for the end result.

...but after drawing a card and adding it to their hand, they took a deep breath and placed their cards on the board.

"Surrender."

A surrender. That meant-

"The winner is Kazeyuki!"

The shop clerk was the judge watching over this match.

Immediately after, my friends who were always playing against each other and spending all of their time researching deck compositions came running to me while cheering.

"Well done, Kazeyuki-shi! You did it!"

"Even though the environment put you at a disadvantage, you still had faith in your mono-ice deck and stuck with it. This is a win that will go down in history for sure!"

"Congrats on your first tournament victory!"

While everyone was excitedly speaking to me, my opponent was silently preparing to leave.

I stood up and held my hand out to him.

"That was an intense battle. Let's meet again at the next tournament. For the pride of Guardner!"

They were silent for a little while...

In the end, they shook my hand and replied in a small voice, "For the pride of Guardner..."

When they let go of my hand, they left afterwards. My friends seemed to understand how I was feeling and nodded their heads deeply in agreement.

"Well, it was still an exciting battle!"

About ten minutes after the tournament ended and most of the spectators left--

I was still there with my three TCG friends at one of the tournament tables in the shop.

Even though it's a table used for tournaments, you can use it freely without the hologram board and card fight. You can also bring your own cards to compare decks with your friends here in a lively atmosphere.

This card shop is close to my parents' house and it's somewhere I've been going to for a long time. I got to know the three of them by playing against each other in card fights, and before we knew it, we just naturally became good friends.

"Kazeyuki-shi! I would like to see the rare prize card again!"** Hasuda-shi spoke enthusiastically with excitement in his eyes.

He always wore a stylish red bandana and is an expert at using different kinds of meta decks. He's very well informed about [MotG] and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he knows everything about the card game.

I showed him the prize card I won, [Dragon Knight Dancing on Ice]. It was the rarest card in the newly released card pack.

Suddenly, the other two shouted "Ohh~" and moved closer to take a better look at the card.

"Thank you all for your support. This card goes well with my [Dragon Sleeping Within Ice], so I really wanted it. Of course, I bought many packs of the new set and even did an opening ritual for the cards, but I still wasn't able to get this one to come..."

When I said that, everyone nodded deeply in agreement. Hasuda-shi spoke after, "I understand well. I was not able to pull the card either."

"However, with the addition of new ice cards in this new wave of packs may change the environment for the current ice meta."

"Kazeyuki-san, if you add this to your deck, you'll be able to go even further! Maybe you'll be able to win the regional tournament next!" Ooji-shi, the smallest out of all of us, clenched his fists as he spoke with excitement.

He plays a small-scale deck that mainly uses low cost Guardians, but he's skilled at using Trick Cards in order to make up for the deck's weaknesses.

"Hmm...but just getting one card isn't enough. Even though he might have to spend a lot of money, it would be better to get one or two more cards to stabilize his deck."

"What? Are you saying that Kazeyuki-shi must throw away his signature combo of using [Swarm of Icicle Worms] and [Defender of the Ice Fortress]?!"

Himeno-shi calmly gave his opinion while adjusting his glasses. At the shop, he's nicknamed "the rogue deck demon" and uses the deck he first fell in love with while continuing to improve it over time.

Hasuda-shi responded to him on his own after that.

They were all really good, caring friends.

That being said...I didn't know their occupations or ages. They didn't even know that I'm the skater, Kamina Yukikaze. Although, sometimes I think that even if I did tell them my identity, they still wouldn't really know who I was.

It wasn't that I wanted to hide anything in particular, it's just that I went by Kazeyuki for the SNS account I made to learn more about the card game. When I come to this part of town, I put on a light disguise just like I do everywhere else.

It was a simple outfit - just a cap, a pair of glasses, and a mask - but because I wear this outfit all the time, the people at the card shop have started to call me "the masked ice tamer."

But...it's not a big deal.

After all, we're all the same Guardners who communicate with each other through our cards.

"This time, I won because of you three. Hasuda-shi, you helped me gather information about their deck ahead of time. Ooji-shi and Himeno-shi, you two also helped me adjust my deck many times...thank you, I don't think I could've won without you all."

After I thanked them wholeheartedly, they all responded in different ways. "Oh- your words are making me feel embarrassed...!", "Hey, don't act like we're strangers, we're close aren't we?", "I'll help you with any deck adjustments you might need in the future too."

I was proud that I was able to win my first card shop tournament with the three of them watching over me. I might even be happier at this moment than when I first got onto the top three as a novice skater.

"But with this prize card, we're one step closer to making Kazeyuki-shi's goal of creating a permafrost deck come true!"

"Yeah. ...but, we still have a long way to reach that goal. What matters most is the ultimate final piece."

When I said that, their facial expressions turned serious.

"Indeed...that card is the most essential piece for an unparalleled permafrost deck."

"The 'Legacy 8.' I'd like to see them at least once before I die..." Ooji-shi let out a sigh after hearing Hasuda-shi's words.

...that's right. We got along well because we had a shared dream.

In this card game that we love, there are eight original rare cards that were included in the packs that were initially released several decades ago.

They're collectively known as 'Legacy 8.'

Because of how rare they are, they're traded at high prices in the market and according to recent rumors, a first edition card could be worth tens of million yen each.

"I believe that the common point in all the rumors is that the cards may be in the hands of the world's greatest card collector, 'Mister Malice, the Guardian's Gatekeeper.'"

"Well even so, it's not like we know who Mister Malice is, right?"

"They could be a beautiful lady, an elderly wise man who's part robot, or..."

"There's also people saying that they're the creator of [MotG]."

"In any case, I really want it~ The [Hidden Imperial Command]..." Ooji-shi muttered softly with admiration in his voice.

Right, he also wants a card from 'Legacy 8.' That card has such a strong salvage effect that it got banned from being used in tournaments.

"I too hope that I will be able to obtain the [White Lupine] one day...if I am able to get ahold of the card, I vow to devote my life to the beautiful and pure lupine maiden." Hasuda-shi made this declaration with a serious look on his face.

"I feel the same way. I'm prepared to risk my life for my muse, the [Queen of Velfaex Palace]." Just like Hasuda-shi, Himeno-shi has very strong, passionate feelings about the card he wants.

"What Kazeyuki-san wants is..."

"Of course, it's [Icicle Palace]."

I saw it a long time ago in an artbook for [MotG].

It was a beautiful artwork depicting a wondrous ice castle-- that [Icicle Palace].

Compared to the other 'Legacy 8' cards, this one was relatively easier to get, and as long as they weren't the first edition cards, they were often seen on the market. However, to find a first edition card in mint condition was extremely difficult.

...I'd really like to get one someday.

I've been dreaming about that card ever since the day I became a Guardner in this game.

After all, the reason why I started playing [MotG] was because of [Icicle Palace]- a floating ice castle that can only exist in a dream.

*T/N: the honorific "-shi" is an older honorific that's an ancient honorific form that isn't really used anymore today other than being used to refer to people in third person in formal writing.
**T/N: Hasuda is speaking in relatively old Japanese so I will be trying to reflect that in the translations.