Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 534 457_2

——Random selection.

Huai Shi's smile instantly froze.

Damn it, I'm screwed...

In an instant, countless star-like card packs rapidly shifted, and finally, accompanied by a hoarse battle cry, a card pack made of ancient tanned leather descended from the sky.

Its symbol was three overlapping triangles, representing the World Tree.

Nordic Genealogy.

A prime example of Fast Attack, Wild Fight, and Berserk styles. It was the go-to choice for veterans to bully newbies, typifying the "if you can't kill me when you hack at me, I'll kill you" style.

"When my life points fall below five, you're toast!"

Most Divine Artifacts were incredibly powerful, but the side effect was a deduction from the player's life points. If Valhalla's economy couldn't keep up, then it was an instant death on the spot...

But this was no time to chicken out.

If I show any sign of 'Oh crap, what do I do now?' on my face, I've already lost half the battle before it's even started.

So, Huai Shi's smile became even more mysterious.

Then he stared at the three randomly selected Character Cards before him and zoned out.

Wanderer Odin. Skill: Wisdom – Play one additional Totem each turn. Draw one extra card for each Totem lost.

Surtur. Skill: Twilight – Assign the weapon card Ravandin to any Character Card at any time (once only). If the character enters the graveyard, Ravandin is exiled and permanently lost.

Heaven Queen Frigg. Skill: Brilliant – Each turn, for every Totem you control on the field, designate one Character Card to regain health.

...

How do I choose? Which one do I pick?

Huai Shi closed his eyes, went through a quick mental selection process, and finally opened them. Fine, Odin it is.

Across from him, Madam Sophie had chosen Itsam, leader of the Nine United Gods. Skill: Each Blood Sacrifice on the field grants a bonus to a Character Card.

Seems very powerful!

Anyway, Huai Shi had no idea how this was supposed to work!

But he still picked up the dice first, to decide who would go first.

Behold the power of the European Emperor!

Filled with confidence, Huai Shi raised his hand. Then, under Madam Sophie's silent stare, he rolled a 'one'.

How on earth did I manage that?

Huai Shi also wanted to ask himself how he'd managed to roll the absolute lowest number on a twenty-sided die.

Seeing the blatant confusion and guilt on the young man's face, Madam Sophie couldn't help but shake her head and sigh. Am I being too cautious? Is there really any need to worry about a complete newbie like him?

She picked up the dice and casually threw it.

Then... she also rolled a 'one'.

Madam Sophie: "..."

Huai Shi: "..."

In the ensuing awkward silence, they exchanged embarrassed glances. It felt as if they were two long-lost relatives from some remote African tribe who had unexpectedly run into each other in a foreign land. The previously tense atmosphere somehow became strangely... amicable.

When both players rolled the same number, they were supposed to roll again, or the person who rolled first would take the first turn.

Madam Sophie, clearly not bothered about such formalities, waved her hand, signaling Huai Shi to play first.

Huai Shi then glanced at the deck to his right, which he had hastily researched and assembled online. Feeling immense pressure, he gestured, and seven cards promptly flew through the air to hover before him.

His luck wasn't too bad.

Three Totems for resources, one spell card, one weapon card, and two Character Cards: a high-cost Valkyrie and an iconic Berserker.

After quickly playing two Totems, Huai Shi summoned the Berserker.

Instantly, an old, white-bearded warrior, bare-chested, clad in furs, and covered in scars, emerged from a gust of icy wind. He wielded a Great Sword and let out a roar that reached the heavens.

The Berserker, of course, had no idea what Huai Shi, its summoner, was plotting.

The Berserker's passive ability is to gain attack power as it loses health. So, I'll let it take a beating first...

After Huai Shi's turn ended, Madam Sophie played a Temple card. Then, using a spell card, she swapped the Temple for a high-tier resource card: Cotton Plantation.

As an economic structure, besides providing a fixed resource output, it also counted as one Blood Sacrifice to the Nine United Gods each turn.

Immediately after, a Skin-peeling Warrior armed with an Obsidian Axe was prematurely summoned via the Blood Sacrifice. Empowered with an agility buff, it swung a club studded with obsidian shards straight at the Berserker's head.

The Berserker's health instantly plummeted, but its body erupted in blood-red flames as its attack power skyrocketed, nearly doubling.

But then, the Skin-peeling Warrior's special ability struck, stunning it...

Unable to act for one turn!

Oh, come on...

Huai Shi stared, dumbfounded, a chill running down his spine.

Had I been a little too confident just now?

.

.

"You're saying... Card of the Ages?"

Elsewhere on the cruise ship, when Raven heard from DM and KP about ST's challenge, she was astonished.

As far as Raven knew, ST was a super collector and an avid enthusiast. Although Raven wasn't familiar with ST's specific win-loss record, ST's significant contributions to revising competition regulations had even made her a candidate for the Hall of Fame over a decade ago!

If ST was going to play Card of the Ages against Huai Shi, then Antarctica was pretty much a lost cause.

He might as well pack his bags and go back to Gao's Old Manor!

"What in the world are you two doing?" Raven exploded. "This isn't what we agreed on! You can't just go back on your word like this, can you?"

In the silence, KP and DM exchanged a peculiar glance.

"Ahem."

KP stepped forward to smooth things over, smiling and waving his hand. "Ah, well... don't worry. ST might have a sharp tongue, but she's actually the kindest one of us three..."