Chapter 12
"Ha! A Slifer Red failure really is a failure. He has Royal Magical Library and he doesn't even know how to use it properly."
Chazz crossed his arms and sneered the moment both Libraries appeared on the field.
"Big bro, why is he saying that?" Syrus asked Jaden from the edge of the arena, genuinely puzzled.
He could not see anything wrong with what Rowan had just done.
Double Summon to get an extra Normal Summon, two defenders with 2000 DEF on the board, then slowly build toward five pieces of Exodia in hand.
That seemed right to him.
"Because the effect of Royal Magical Library is this," Alexis's voice answered from nearby.
She had moved down to the arena floor without either of them noticing and was standing there with her arms folded, watching the field at close range.
"Every time a Spell Card is activated by either player, the Library gains one Spell Counter. Remove three counters, and the controller draws one card from their deck."
"Oh, Senior Rhodes." Syrus blinked, then caught up. "So every three Spell Cards that get played, Rowan can draw once through the Library's effect?"
Jaden looked at Alexis, waiting for confirmation.
"Correct." She nodded, eyes still on the field.
"Which means if he had summoned the first Library before activating Double Summon rather than after, that Library would already have a counter on it. The order he used was a little rough."
Chazz caught her words and let out a short, satisfied laugh.
"Exactly. Slifer Red failures stay failures. Your turn should be just about over, shouldn't it?"
He had come prepared.
The moment he learned Rowan was running a Dark Magician deck, Chazz had specifically added several trap cards designed to stop Exodia from assembling in hand.
All he needed was his own turn to set them, then the right moment to activate them.
The dream of collecting all five pieces would be dead before it started. Next turn was his victory.
"Not even close," Rowan said, perfectly calm.
"That Double Summon play was just returning the favor for you letting me go first. Evens things out so you have no excuses afterward."
He paused. "And having both Libraries on the field at the same time makes it easier to track the counters and draw in batches."
He smiled.
"Now I'm going to tell you a story. Try not to blink."
"What?"
Chazz had no time to figure out what "tell a story" meant before Rowan's hand was already moving.
"Spell Card activation. Upstart Goblin. I draw one card from my deck, and my opponent gains 1000 life points."
A green card depicting a smug little goblin shimmered into existence above the field.
"What?!"
Chazz's jaw tightened.
Alexis, Jaden, and Syrus all stared.
He was giving his opponent 1000 life points just to draw a card?
Even Jaden, with all his protagonist's instincts, could not immediately make sense of it.
"Why is Rowan giving Chazz more life points?" Syrus said, confused and worried.
Rowan said nothing.
He drew his card, and Chazz's life point display ticked steadily upward to 5000.
"Enjoy the free thousand, Chazz. And since one Spell Card was activated, each of my two Royal Magical Libraries gains one Spell Counter."
Two small green gems lit up on the Libraries, one on each.
"Spell Card activation. Upstart Goblin. Again."
From his hand of three, Rowan produced an identical card.
"I draw one more card. You gain another thousand."
He drew. His hand stayed at three. Chazz's life points climbed again, settling at 6000.
"What is he doing?"
Syrus's voice was edging toward panic. "He keeps giving Chazz more life points. Isn't he just making it harder for himself to win?"
"No." Alexis's expression had shifted. Something had clicked, and the surprise in her voice was genuine.
"This might be exactly the strategy he's going for."