This Trainer Has No Sportsmanship

By the time the monk gave the command, Naturia Tulip had already been beaten senseless and was completely unable to act. Even with its respectable defense, it could not hold out for long under the attribute disadvantage, soon bursting into particles of spiritual energy.

After absorbing them, Gagaga Girl immediately leveled up twice.

Climbing the Tower

With a victorious first battle—and one where the weak had defeated the strong—Gagaga Girl could hardly conceal her excitement. Her previous lack of confidence had vanished as she repeatedly looked at her hands, seemingly savoring the sensation of pummeling her opponent.

Seeing this, You Zhi did not forcefully dissuade her. Instead, he said, "Mages choosing long-range attacks isn't some law of nature. It's simply the best combat method later generations have concluded. If you choose close combat, you'll have to put in more effort and endure more hardship."

"I-I can endure hardship." Gagaga Girl clenched her fists tightly.

You Zhi nodded and said nothing further. Whether someone could endure hardship was not determined by what they said, but by what they did. There was no need to dampen her spirits right now. What she lacked was confidence, not modesty.

Having passed the trial, You Zhi followed the monk's guidance and took the stairs to the fourth floor.

The monks of the Training Tower would no longer hold back in the following battles. Therefore, he did not plan to keep sending Gagaga Girl into battle. Instead, he sent out Silent Magician and took the opportunity to test the effects of the Exp. Share.

The opponent on the fourth floor was a Level 16 four-star spirit, Naturia Strawberry. It possessed an ability that increased its own attack by the opposing spirit's star level × 100. Combined with its base stats of 1440 attack and 1080 defense, it completely suppressed Silent Magician in terms of raw attributes.

However, Silent Magician had long grown accustomed to fighting opponents with higher stats. She did not even need You Zhi's commands. With her three-pronged combination of Teleport, Reflect, and Psybeam, she easily defeated her opponent.

If Naturia Strawberry used targeted moves such as Razor Leaf or Bullet Seed, she blocked them with Reflect. If it used area attacks such as Stun Spore or Sleep Powder, she Teleported away while striking back whenever an opening appeared.

Afterward, even the monk overseeing the battle could not help praising You Zhi's spirit for being calm and adaptable, calling her a rare spirit with tactical thinking.

When the battle ended, Gagaga Girl had gained half the experience and leveled up once more, proving that the Exp. Share was indeed effective.

The opponent on the fifth floor was a Level 20 five-star spirit, Naturia Hydrangea. Its attack methods were not too different from the spirits on the previous two floors, but its attributes were higher. Silent Magician spent more time and spiritual power, yet still defeated it with her three-pronged approach.

The spiritual energy particles released after Naturia Hydrangea burst apart far surpassed those before. Both Silent Magician and Gagaga Girl leveled up once.

The opponent on the sixth floor was a Level 25 five-star spirit, Naturia Bamboo Shoot. Its base stats were not much different from Naturia Hydrangea's, but it possessed a powerful ability that prevented the opposing Trainer from activating Spell Cards.

Considering Silent Magician's stamina, You Zhi did not send her out again. He switched to the Goblin Attack Force instead and transferred the Exp. Share to them.

Being unable to activate Spell Cards meant he could not remove the Goblins' negative trait. After fighting for a while, they would inevitably have to lie down and Slack Off. However, You Zhi had intended to end this quickly from the start, so as soon as the duel began, he ordered the Goblins to test the new skill they had just learned.

The four green-skinned creatures howled as they charged forward with metal clubs in hand, wearing expressions of fearless resolve.

The opposing monk had clearly never seen such a tactic before. He hesitated, considering the purpose behind this move. After all, no Trainer who could reach the sixth floor could be a reckless rookie without any tactics.

Yet that very moment of thought caused him to miss the best chance to interrupt them. Even when he ordered his spirit to use Giga Drain, it was already too late.

Boom!

The instant the first Goblin made contact with its opponent, its body flashed with white light. A tremendous explosion swallowed the opponent, shaking the entire Training Tower.

The monk was stunned, while Naturia Bamboo Shoot was blown so senseless that it lost all ability to respond.

At that moment, the second Goblin charged forward as well, once again blooming with white light. Another explosion emptied Naturia Bamboo Shoot's health, turning it into spiritual energy particles as both sides perished together.

Seeing that there was no longer anything to attack and that they no longer needed to sacrifice themselves, the remaining two Goblins began happily jumping in place, singing and dancing with great delight. They did not seem saddened by their comrades in the slightest.

It had to be admitted that Self-Destruct was indeed enormously powerful. Combined with the Goblin Attack Force's top-tier attack among four-star spirits, it became even harder to withstand. A dignified Level 25 five-star spirit had actually failed to endure two green-skinned living bombs.

You Zhi had thought that two living bombs would only leave the opponent near death, requiring the remaining Goblins to finish it off. He had not expected the power to exceed his estimates, and he privately wondered whether green-skinned creatures received some bonus to explosions.

The Goblins and Gagaga Girl, who split the spiritual energy among themselves, leveled up again.

The monk on the other side looked as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself. Perhaps he felt this tactic was too bizarre, yet could not explain why.

In ordinary Trainer battles, skills like Self-Destruct were prohibited. Aside from venting emotion, they served little purpose. If two spirits perished together, neither side gained any growth and both suffered for nothing. Such desperate measures were only necessary in advancement matches or duels against enemies, where victory had to be secured at all costs.

However, that understanding did not apply to the Goblin Attack Force. Although they perished alongside their opponent, they had not entirely perished together. From that perspective, Self-Destruct was no different from moves that inflicted recoil damage. They could not possibly permit recoil skills while banning Self-Destruct, could they?

After thinking it over, the monk still could not sort it out. He could only chant "Amitabha" and watch You Zhi head upstairs.

Upon reaching the seventh floor, there were no other Trainers left. Only one monk sat in meditation at the center, legs crossed atop a cushion. Hearing movement, he opened his eyes. When he saw You Zhi, he did not waste words. He rose, pressed his palms together, bowed slightly, and activated the Duel Barrier.

[Naturia Beast (5 stars) Earth]

[Lineage: Grass]

[Level: 30]

[Attack: 2200 (2420)]

[Defense: 1700 (1870)]

[Beast-Type, Effect: While this card is face-up on the field, you can send the top 2 cards of your deck to the graveyard to negate and destroy the activation of a Spell Card.]

When the monk drew his spirit card, You Zhi glanced at its surface and discovered that it was a Synchro Monster.

In the world of Yu-Gi-Oh!, Synchro Monsters needed to be specially summoned through addition. In this world, however, Synchro Monsters evolved through intimacy. Only spirits close enough to their Trainers could undergo Synchro Evolution.

You Zhi had originally intended to send Demon Lizard Yihao into this battle, but after seeing Naturia Beast's ability, he decided to send Silent Summoner instead. As for the stamina she had expended, he would restore it with the Spell Card Goblin's Secret Remedy. Since the duel had not yet begun, such last-minute healing was not against the rules.

Goblin's Secret Remedy was a Spell Card the original owner had already known, though You Zhi had only recently remembered it.

Besides that, the original owner had also mastered other Spell Cards with "Goblin" in their names, as well as Associated Cards featuring Goblins in their artwork. As You Zhi became increasingly familiar with this body, he gradually unearthed them from its memories.

Phile's Friend

Although Naturia Beast was a Synchro Monster, it was not much stronger than Naturia Bamboo Shoot, another five-star spirit—especially once its ability was known.

Since Naturia Beast could negate Instant-Activation Spell Cards, then he simply would not use Instant-Activation Spell Cards. By using only charged Spell Cards, he could render its ability useless.

In comparison, Naturia Bamboo Shoot's ability prevented Spell Cards from being activated altogether, regardless of their type. Thus, even if one knew about it beforehand, there was no way to exploit a loophole.

As soon as the battle began, Silent Magician used Teleport and Reflect to stall for time. Faced with such tactics, Naturia Beast had no good answer despite its far superior attack and defense.

If they had been fighting outdoors, it could have used an indiscriminate area attack such as Earthquake. Unfortunately, they were fighting inside the tower. If the monk dared give such an order, the abbot would make sure he remembered what monastic rules were.

After successfully stalling for some time, You Zhi decisively activated the Spell Card Dark Energy Stone, summoning three Spirit Cores and boosting Silent Magician's attack by 1500. Her attack surpassed her opponent's, and she immediately began her counterattack.

Seeing the tide beginning to turn, the monk hurriedly refined and activated the Spell Card Lion-Faced Grass's Mane.

[Normal Spell: Lion-Faced Grass's Mane]

[Effect: Target 1 face-up monster you control with "Naturia" in its name; that monster's attack becomes 3000 until the End Phase, and its effects are negated.]

Under the Spell Card's effect, Naturia Beast's attack surged to 3000. Yet this triggered Silent Magician's ability, causing her attack to increase by another 500. The two sides were still evenly matched.

The two spirits fought for some time. Since Lion-Faced Grass's Mane was not a permanent enhancement, Naturia Beast's attack fell again once its duration ended, while Silent Magician's attack gained the upper hand instead.

However, Naturia Beast still held the advantage in defense. After all, Silent Magician's ability only affected attack and did not increase defense. Furthermore, the monk was highly skilled at commanding, with no intention of holding back. The two spirits traded blows, and the outcome remained impossible to predict.

Just as both sides judged that their spirits had little stamina left and victory would soon be decided, an angry young woman's voice suddenly came from the stairway above:

"Losers shouldn't act as though they're qualified to lecture others. Trainers don't care about seniority. Besides, what could you possibly teach me? A loser's self-consolation? This young lady has no need for that trash!"

The moment her words fell, the sound of footsteps descending the stairs followed. The monk instinctively turned his head.

You Zhi remained unmoved and seized the opportunity. "Now! Don't hold back any spiritual power—attack with everything you have!"

Silent Magician raised her wand. Four Spirit Cores circled around her, and as spiritual power surged, she fired a neon beam far thicker than before.

Naturia Beast reacted a beat too slowly. Without its Trainer's command, it instinctively launched Energy Ball in response. Only then did the monk regain his senses and hurriedly shout, "Don't trade attacks! Defend with Reflect!"

Unfortunately, it was too late. The all-out Psybeam struck the emerald orb of light. After being pushed back some distance, it successfully broke through it. Its remaining force struck the somewhat panicked Naturia Beast, destroying it and scattering it into spiritual energy particles.

Gagaga Girl and Silent Magician each absorbed half. The former leveled up again, while the latter did not improve.

The monk looked at the battle's result in silence for a while before sighing. "Though I am a cultivator, I was distracted by external matters and lost my composure. This poor monk accepts his defeat. Please proceed upstairs, benefactor."

At that moment, the young woman who had decided the battle's outcome came down the stairs, still grumbling, "What kind of garbage reward is this? This young lady doesn't need it!

"There isn't even an elevator. Even an ancient building should keep up with the times. What a bunch of stubborn old fossils.

"Spirits are merely tools. They only need to work hard and become stronger. Treat them like family? How ridiculous. I don't see you sending your family into an arena to fight."

Hearing this, You Zhi could not help turning to look. He thought that anyone daring to say such things in a world of spirits was either a rival meant to contrast the protagonist or a major villain.

After all, treating spirits like friends—or family—was the eternal theme of the spirit world, as well as its most fundamental logic. On a smaller scale, it was political correctness. On a larger scale, it was the will of the universe.

If you dared defy the will of the universe, who else would get humiliated if not you?

The speaker was a young woman dressed nothing like a Trainer. She wore an extravagant Gothic-style gown and appeared to be wearing high heels. Most eye-catching of all was her spiraling blonde hair.

It was You Zhi's first time seeing someone with such a hairstyle in real life. He wondered how on earth it had been curled like that. Could it be some wax-hardened mold?

The blonde girl noticed his gaze. Already in a foul mood, she simply turned and glared at him.

However, You Zhi did not restrain himself because of that. He had always disdained concealing his actions. If he was curious, he openly showed his curiosity. He would not avert his eyes just because the other party noticed.

Given the temper the blonde girl had displayed earlier, he expected her to scold him with words like "How rude." Yet she seemed long accustomed to such gazes. Aside from that initial glare, she showed no further reaction and started down the stairs. But as she passed the corner, her eyes caught sight of Silent Magician, and she stopped.

"This spirit is..."

The blonde girl's expression abruptly changed. She swept her gaze around, immediately locked onto You Zhi, and marched over to accuse him furiously, "You're the man who deceived Phile, aren't you?!"

Without hesitation, You Zhi replied, "No."

The blonde girl froze. His answer had been so firm and decisive that he did not seem to be lying. Had she mistaken him for someone else?

Her cheeks reddened slightly, and she hurriedly apologized. "I'm sorry. One of my friends also has a Silent Magician. Not long ago, she was deceived by a man and gave her spirit to him. Silent Magician is extremely rare, and you look very much like the person she described, so I instinctively assumed you were that swindler. I'm truly sorry for mistaking you for someone else."

After she finished speaking, You Zhi slowly said, "You don't need to apologize, because my Silent Magician was indeed given to me by Phile. Unless some kind of parallel-world travel accident occurred, I'm probably the person you're looking for."

The blonde girl was first stunned, then her face flushed red. With the anger of someone being toyed with, she said, "Then why did you deny it?"

"Because I didn't deceive Phile."

After saying that, You Zhi could not be bothered with her any longer and headed toward the upper floor on his own.

"You still say you didn't deceive her? It was because of you that Phile suddenly became obsessed with martial arts, then suddenly wanted to become a Trainer. We agreed to travel together, but she insisted on going alone... Stop right there!"

The Duel That Ended Without Result

You Zhi reached the top floor of the Training Tower and met the abbot.

Like the monks guarding the previous floors, the abbot was similarly sparing with words. After greeting him with palms pressed together, he activated the Duel Barrier.

As spirit Trainers, they naturally had things to discuss after the duel. The more traditional a Trainer was, the more they believed that a duel was the best way to understand someone.

The blonde girl clattered up the stairs in pursuit, but upon seeing that the two had already begun their duel, she forcefully suppressed her anger and stood to one side to watch.

Personal grudges were personal grudges, and public morals were public morals. Respecting Spirit Duels was a value universally acknowledged by the world. As a noble's daughter, she naturally had an obligation to set an example.

You Zhi ignored the commotion outside the barrier and focused on the battle before him. He did not send Silent Magician out again this time, instead summoning Demon Lizard Yihao. His opponent summoned a dragon covered in wooden scales that radiated vigorous life.

[Naturia Barkion (6 stars) Earth]

[Lineage: Grass, Dragon]

[Level: 32]

[Attack: 2500 (2583)]

[Defense: 1800 (1860)]

[Dragon-Type, Effect: While this card is face-up on the field, you can banish 2 cards from your graveyard to negate and destroy the activation of a Trap Card.]

Seeing the opponent's effect description, You Zhi could not help thinking of the Naturia Beast from the previous floor.

One specifically countered Spell Cards, while the other specifically countered Trap Cards. Together, they could seal off every kind of Spell Card.

"Today is the day to verify the results of your special training. Come, Demon Lizard Yihao."

Demon Lizard Yihao had initially looked somewhat listless after appearing. But after hearing You Zhi's words and glancing at the imposing Naturia Barkion before him, his spirits instantly rose. His aura surged, and fighting intent filled him.

Yes!

I won't have to get beaten up one-sidedly anymore!

With a low shout, Demon Lizard Yihao began evolving. Evil energy swirled around him, his muscles expanded, steel armor plates grew across his body, and his appearance became increasingly ferocious.

The abbot clearly possessed sportsmanship. He did not attack during the transformation and merely watched in silence.

A moment later, the evolved Divergent Lizard Yihao appeared. His eyes were crimson, and he panted heavily. Though he still exuded madness, it was firmly restrained by reason, like a fighting dog held back by a leash.

Seeing this, the abbot could not help sighing. "Though plagued by evil energy, he still maintains his true heart through his reliance on his Trainer, while his Trainer responds with unwavering trust. Such an unshakable karmic bond between them is truly enviable."

The blonde girl standing nearby was moved as well, and her opinion of You Zhi improved somewhat. Still, she privately mocked his taste. This spirit had become far too ugly after evolving. It had looked better before evolving.

You Zhi felt that he had somehow been subtly misunderstood, but he could not be bothered to explain. Just as he was about to begin the battle and test the effect of the newly acquired B-rank Spell Card Heavenly Might's Peerless Fist, he saw the abbot recall Naturia Barkion into its spirit card.