The Pride-Series Magic Cards' Registered Trademark / Dak Dimon Doesn't Understand the Darkness of Night

As the blank Magitech Card turned a rich dark gold, Dark drew out another drop of "Pride" and dripped it onto the card.

The dark gold deepened.

Finally, the third drop of "Pride"!

As this drop spread across the card, "black" gradually gained the upper hand. The so-called "dark gold" turned into "black gold."

After recording this phenomenon, Dark began applying the Sealant Liquid.

The remaining steps could be skipped.

When the final Transmutation Array took effect, a brand-new, black-and-gold "Pride" Magitech Card was complete!

Dark resisted the urge to experiment here. First, he cleaned up the traces of his experiment in the laboratory, then returned the key to Professor Kazel.

Only then did he hurry back to his bedroom and take out the Sorting Card, "Magic Phantom Beast: Eevee," Pride 1, and the new Pride card.

Add the Happiness Card, and that was every Magitech Card he owned!

Generally speaking, experiments required comparisons.

But after picking up Pride 1 and looking at it for a while, Dark set it back down and decided to experiment directly with the new Pride card.

Then he chose between the Sorting Card and "Magic Phantom Beast: Eevee," picking up the Sorting Card first.

The Sorting Card was a high-grade Magitech Card distributed by the academy. It had been expertly made and wasn't easy to damage.

As a Familiar, DemiDevimon was also more durable than a Magic Spirit.

Dark took a deep breath.

"By the name of Dark Dimon, I summon my Familiar!"

Dark pinched the Sorting Card between his index and middle fingers and activated the Summoning Technique!

As a great deal of magic power drained away, a hexagram formation appeared.

DemiDevimon crawled out of the formation looking pitiful. It knew this was going to be another long, difficult night.

Chapter 33: The Pride Series Magitech Cards' Trademark

"Magic Guidance Summon!"

Dark pinched the Pride Magitech Card between his index and middle fingers and lightly swiped it in front of himself, activating the Summoning Technique!

In an instant, a beam of black-and-gold light shot out!

Dark hadn't expected the beam to be so thick.

DemiDevimon, cowering and covering its head on the desk, was also stunned.

But the black beam seemed to be guided by a homing system, striking DemiDevimon right in the forehead with pinpoint accuracy!

"Ah!"

DemiDevimon let out a pained shriek. It seemed to have been hit by a sledgehammer; it flew backward, then slammed into the wall with a smack. It slid down as if dead, leaving a mark on the wall.

The bedroom fell silent.

Dark's mouth twitched, but he simply stared at the motionless DemiDevimon.

Half a minute later, DemiDevimon cautiously opened its eyes. Then, as if nothing had happened, it patted itself with its wings and stood up, its face showing an arrogant expression. "What a filthy environment. Stale air, forgotten ashes, an unpolished soul. Stay here another moment, and you'll catch poverty sickness. Do you know what you've done wrong? You've failed to act like a proper servant. You don't know to offer your great master the finest silver tableware and the most delicious blood."

Dark couldn't help teasing it. "What kind of Vampire are you supposed to be?"

DemiDevimon slowly shook its head. "A Vampire? No. Please don't compare such a lowly species to us. I am the great Bright Morning Star, the Son of the Morning. I will ascend to heaven and raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit upon the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. Yet you will be brought down to the underworld, to the deepest pit."

"Has its chuunibyou gotten worse?"

Dark wrote in his notebook: "Confirmed: excessively strong Pride may damage the brain."

After that, he automatically tuned out DemiDevimon's prattle and carefully examined its changes.

The most obvious change was the skull pattern on its forehead. After being struck by Pride's black beam, it had turned into a strange red mark.

It seemed to be a special crest. At its very center was a symbol shaped like the character "屮," with a "⊙" symbol above it.

The outer ring of the crest was inscribed with English words:

level-666

system:lucifer

code:pride

Inside the crest, beneath the symbol, were the words:

caution!purgatory level 1...

Dark thought for a moment, copied down the entire crest, then translated it.

Outer ring:

Level-666

System: Lucifer

Code: Pride

Inner ring:

Warning! Purgatory Level 1...

Although he didn't really understand 666 or the other two symbols, Dark had more or less figured out that this was probably a crest representing "Pride."

"So this new Pride Magitech Card gave DemiDevimon Pride's certification!"

"But what else does it do? Surely it's not just a watermark?"

Dark picked up DemiDevimon, whose head was pointing toward the ceiling, and turned it around to face the wall it had shot at earlier. Then he made it fire another Petit Dart.

"How dare you insult my Pride? Hmph! Release me!"

"Petit Dart!"

"No!"

Though it protested, DemiDevimon's body obediently followed its master's command.

Three syringes shaped like shark heads quickly formed beneath its wings and shot toward the wall!

"Thud, thud, thud!"

All three syringes embedded themselves in the wall.

Beside the original three marks, they left three more that were deeper and larger!

"The power's increased!"

Dark was pleasantly surprised.

Not only had the new Pride card withstood the infusion of three drops of Pride, it had also brought a considerable boost.

"That'll do. I'll tentatively name it Pride 2!"

Familiars were different from Magic Spirits. They couldn't display their stats in card form.

But there was no doubt that DemiDevimon had grown stronger. It might no longer be a one-star loser.

"Maybe I should've experimented on Eevee first."

About thirteen minutes later, the Pride crest on DemiDevimon's forehead gradually faded, reverting to the white skull it had been before.

The moment its mind cleared, DemiDevimon immediately beat its wings and flew up. Looking bewildered, it muttered to itself, "Huh? How is it already six? I should go get something to eat from the Cafeteria. Can't let my dear master go hungry..."

Dark: "..."

As he ate the takeout Lick-Monster had brought and read books about emotion research, Dark quietly waited for Pride 2's cooldown to end.

As it turned out, he had to wait a full three hours!

That lengthy cooldown gradually made Dark realize that Pride 2 might not be very well-made.

"The problem's probably the quality of the blank Magitech Card and the materials used to make it. Maybe the Transmutation Array setup was also a little off?"

"Pride 2 seems usable, at least, but with such a long cooldown, it can't be used a second time in the same match—or even in a match on the same day!"

"I could try refining it, or make a few extras as backups, but official competitions limit the number of cards in a deck..."

"But it's still clear enough that three drops of Pride are probably the maximum this ten-credit blank Magic Card can withstand."

After recording the results of the experiment, Dark picked up Pride 2 again.

This time, the experimental subject was naturally little Eevee.

Eevee-chan, summoned from "Magic Phantom Beast: Eevee," opened her eyes cutely and tilted her head a little. "Vui?"

Dark Dimon, the possessor of the evil Demon God Bloodline, showed no mercy. He stretched his wicked hands toward the adorable little Eevee!

"Magic Guidance Summon!"

Swipe card → evolve → no effect. ( )

After being struck by Pride 2's beam, a red Pride crest also appeared on Eevee's forehead.

The crest didn't look out of place at all. If anything, it made her look even more bewitching.

The Eevee who had been so adorable just a moment ago instantly became arrogant. She stopped humoring her master, turned her back on him, and looked down at the nighttime view outside the window. So peaceful.

Dark wasn't surprised. He simply picked up "Magic Phantom Beast: Eevee" and checked its stats.

[Card Name: Magic Phantom Beast]

[Type: Spirit Card]

[Level:]

[Species: Bird-Beast Species]

[Attribute: Normal Type]

[Magic Power: 500]

[Attack: 700]

[Defense: 300]

[Special Moves: Mimic, Baby-Doll Eyes]

"Although she didn't evolve, her stats definitely increased. There aren't many other changes, except to her skills... She gained one!"

→[Special Move: Baby-Doll Eyes]

→[Baby-Doll Eyes: Eevee glares at her opponent arrogantly, making them feel defeated and lowering their desire to attack.]

"So, did she go from a Blue Card to a Purple Card?"

"Wait, does this mean DemiDevimon also gained a skill while boosted by Pride 2?"

Divine skill: Ten Thousand Recommendations Return to Origin!

Chapter 34: Dark Dimon Doesn't Understand the Darkness of Night

Dark wasn't foolish enough to stay up all night waiting for Pride 2's cooldown to end.

When he awoke at dawn, hazy light filtered through the patterned curtains, casting scattered patches of light.

Dark fired Pride 2 at DemiDevimon, who was blinking up at him.