This Trainer Has No Sportsmanship

However, crossbows summoned by Spell Cards had a locking function. At a time like this, the correct response was not to run, but to attack the crossbow. As long as it took enough damage, there was no need to destroy it completely to make the Spell Card fail.

Bang!

As the bowstring twanged, Assistant Goblin shot forward at high speed, wailing and bawling in midair, tears and snot streaming down its face as it accurately struck the Insect Person, who had no time to dodge. It was like the Noble Phantasm, One Meteor!

With no surprises, both sides exploded at the same time.

Assistant Goblin's spiritual energy particles mixed with the Insect Person's spiritual energy particles and returned to the card. To You Zhi's delight, Assistant Goblin had finally leveled up!

The next moment, the entire card emitted a dazzling light, and the artwork changed along with it. This was clearly the sign of a Pokémon evolving. All it lacked was an exciting musical score.

A Trainer's Duty

A moment later, the light faded, and the artwork on the Pokémon Card in You Zhi's hand had become a squad of vicious Goblins wielding metal-spiked clubs.

[Goblin Attack Force (Level 4) EARTH attribute]

[Lineage: EVIL attribute]

[Level: 16]

[Talent: Strong]

[Attack: 2300 (2070)]

[Defense: 0 (0)]

[Warrior-Type, Effect: When this card attacks, change it to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. Its battle position cannot be changed until the End Phase of your next turn.]

You Zhi focused and communicated with the Pokémon Card, repeatedly thinking, Devolve. In an instant, the card's artwork changed back into Assistant Goblin. When he changed his thoughts to Evolve, it returned to Goblin Attack Force.

Unlike Pokémon, after a card spirit evolved, it could switch freely between different forms rather than remaining permanently in its evolved form.

That was rather similar to Digimon. You Zhi had long since stopped being surprised by this level of mash-up.

A trash spirit whose combined attack and defense had originally totaled only 200 had instantly evolved into a powerful spirit with 2300 attack. Although its defense had become even weaker, dropping straight to zero, and it had even gained a negative effect, its overall strength was still vastly greater than before evolution.

You Zhi immediately felt the appeal of raising spirits.

As for how a spirit that had originally been a single individual had evolved into a four-member squad, he was not surprised in the slightest. After all, there were already examples like Magneton and Dugtrio.

Pokémon could change, so why couldn't my card spirits?

Don't forget, card spirits were fundamentally made of spiritual power, not actual flesh and blood.

You Zhi was preparing to leave the forest and find an inn to rest when he suddenly heard faint screams coming from afar. After a brief thought, he decided to check on the situation first.

He ran toward the sound and soon heard the noise of fighting, which grew louder and louder.

When he reached the scene, he saw a girl around fifteen or sixteen directing a Spellcaster spirit against a mantis even larger than the Insect Person.

The girl wore an exquisite white princess dress, with a fluffy bow tied behind her back and a pair of pink ladylike shoes on her feet. She looked more as though she were heading to a banquet, utterly out of place in her surroundings. She had paid the appropriate price for it, with plenty of mud staining her clothes.

You Zhi did not rashly step in to help. Instead, he first observed the spirits on both sides.

[Silent Magician LV4 (Level 4) LIGHT attribute]

[Lineage: Psychic]

[Level: 12]

[Attack: 1000 (800)]

[Defense: 1000 (800)]

[Spellcaster, Effect: Each time your opponent draws a card, place 1 Spell Counter on this card, up to a maximum of 5. This card gains 500 attack for each Spell Counter on it. During the Standby Phase of your next turn after this card has 5 Spell Counters on it, you can send this face-up card on the field to the Graveyard to Special Summon 1 Silent Magician LV8 from your hand or deck.]

"Why was she summoning this spirit in actual combat?"

You Zhi was deeply puzzled. Although a spirit's real effects differed from its card description, it was not hard to infer that "drawing cards" was connected to Spell Card refinement. That meant Silent Magician's attack-boosting effect could not be activated. As for its effect of Special Summoning another spirit, that was even less likely to trigger.

A spirit that could perform brilliantly when properly used in a Card Duel became, in real combat, little more than a vanilla spirit with only 1000 attack and defense. It was no wonder it was being suppressed by the wild spirit across from it.

[Scyther (Level 4) Wind attribute]

[Lineage: Insect-Type, Flying-type]

[Level: 14]

[Talent: Average]

[Attack: 1500 (1275)]

[Defense: 800 (680)]

[Insect, Description: A mantis capable of flight that loves eating insects.]

"It was much uglier than the Scyther from Pokémon."

That was You Zhi's heartfelt assessment.

Even though this spirit had Average talent, decent attack and defense, and the ability to fly, he had absolutely no intention of capturing it.

Looks were an important stat, after all!

The combined attack and defense values of the two spirits were not far apart. Scyther could fly, but Silent Magician LV4 had ranged attacks. Logically, they should have been evenly matched, yet the battle was completely one-sided because the latter also had to divide her attention to protect the girl.

"Use Confusion!"

The girl had already panicked and was giving orders without considering the circumstances. She just wanted to attack with a move first.

Silent Magician, who was small like a child, raised her staff and released an invisible psychic wave. However, Scyther merely stiffened for a moment before breaking free.

Then Scyther swung its scythe limbs and slashed out an Air Slash, cunningly directing it at the girl. When she realized she had been targeted, she screamed and covered her head.

Silent Magician could only stand in front of the girl and release psychic power to form a Light Screen, barely blocking the Air Slash.

But the second and third waves of Air Slash followed one after another, cutting cracks into the Light Screen. It looked ready to fail and shatter at any moment.

Seeing this, You Zhi knew he could not wait any longer. Although humans in this world possessed Duel Spirit Power and were far stronger than humans on Earth, they were not immortal creatures like Team Rocket's trio. An Air Slash would still kill them. He immediately drew a Pokémon Card from the void.

"Go, Demon Lizard Yihao!"

The large green lizard appeared on the battlefield and let out an excited roar, immediately drawing the attention of every living thing present.

"Use Slash!"

After a morning of practice, You Zhi had figured out the moves Demon Lizard Yihao currently knew. He was no longer like during his duel with Harin, unable even to call out a move's name.

Demon Lizard Yihao pounced forward and swung its arm in a chopping strike. Accompanied by a sharp whistle through the air, the blow struck Scyther and severed both of its wing covers.

This Scyther was exceedingly fierce. It did not retreat in the slightest after being injured, instead immediately swinging its scythe limbs in counterattack.

After landing its blow, Demon Lizard Yihao immediately retreated and narrowly avoided the slash. However, two Air Slashes still clung to Scyther's scythe limbs. It could not dodge them all and was struck by one, opening a huge wound across its shoulder and sending it tumbling backward several times from the impact.

A Flying-type move against a Fighting-type spirit—You Zhi could almost hear the "super effective" prompt.

"Fighting-type against the Insect-Type and Flying-type combination was quite unfavorable. Good thing reality wasn't a game."

Through his explorations during this period, You Zhi had come to understand the enormous differences in combat between this world and the Pokémon world. The most obvious point was that card spirits themselves possessed excellent combat instincts. They were absolutely not helpless in battle without a trainer, and clever ones could even devise tactics on their own.

If a trainer was not skilled at battle command, it might be better to shut up and let the spirit fight freely. The results could possibly be better.

Did that mean trainers who were poor at giving commands could only stand by as spectators, doing nothing except silently provide spiritual power?

Of course not. Activating the right Spell Card at the right time was an important duty of a trainer.

Seeing that the attributes were unfavorable to his side, You Zhi decisively pressed his hands together and used spiritual power to refine the Spell Card Axe of Fools.

[Equip Spell: Axe of Fools]

[Effect: The equipped monster gains 1000 attack and has its effects negated. In addition, during each of its controller's Standby Phases, inflict 500 damage to the equipped monster's controller.]

A boost of 1000 attack was enormous in a Card Duel. Therefore, the axe summoned by the Spell Card Axe of Fools could be called a divine weapon, exceptionally sharp. Yet its side effect was just as obvious. Not only would it negate a spirit's traits, it would also continuously erode the spirit's life force.

The first side effect meant nothing to Demon Lizard Yihao. It was already a vanilla monster without any traits. The latter effect, however, forced it to end the battle quickly.

With the divine weapon in hand, Demon Lizard Yihao's courage rose. It turned around and launched into fierce close combat with Scyther, unafraid of the sharpness of its scythe limbs. Whenever the opponent slashed out an Air Slash, it blocked with Axe of Fools. The two exchanged blows, sparks flying in every direction.

You Zhi rapidly analyzed the situation. Scyther held the attribute advantage, while Demon Lizard Yihao had higher attack and defense values and currently held the upper hand with its divine weapon. However, it could not fight for long, and after summoning spirits to sweep through the forest for half the day, You Zhi had very little spiritual power left.

Fortunately, as an outsider, his bottom line was quite flexible. When necessary, he could discard a trainer's dignity. He immediately turned to the girl and said, "Don't just stand there watching. Command your spirit and attack together."

"Ah... okay!"

The girl snapped out of her daze and hurriedly commanded Silent Magician to join the battle, though all she knew how to shout was "Use Confusion."

The two spirits had little coordination, but with melee and ranged attacks combined, their threat level rose sharply. It might not have reached one plus one equals two, but it was at least around 1.8.

Scyther, which had barely been holding on, instantly fell into an absolute disadvantage. It was beaten back step by step and soon covered in wounds, unable to stop the thought of fleeing from arising.

Demon Lizard Yihao spotted the opportunity. While Silent Magician restrained Scyther with Confusion, it swung its axe and severed Scyther's left scythe limb.

Scyther cried out in pain and lost all will to fight. It let out a piercing insect screech that left its opponents momentarily dazed, then beat its wings and turned to flee.

How could You Zhi let such a huge bundle of experience escape? He immediately used all his remaining spiritual power to refine the Spell Card Final Assault Order.

[Continuous Trap Card: Final Assault Order]

[Effect: As long as this face-up card remains on the field, all face-up monsters on the field are changed to Attack Position and cannot change their battle positions.]

This card's actual effect was to make spirits bloodthirsty and aggressive, stripping them of any thoughts of fleeing or retreating so that they only wanted to fight their opponents for three hundred rounds.

However, this Spell Card required far more spiritual power than expected. After refining the card, You Zhi discovered in surprise that even after pouring all of his remaining spiritual power into it, he still could not activate it.

Just as Scyther was about to escape, Silent Magician caught sight of You Zhi's unwilling expression. After a brief thought, she suddenly vanished and reappeared before Scyther in the blink of an eye. She extended her staff and used Confusion to shove it back.

"Nice use of Teleport!"

You Zhi could not help praising her, convinced that this spirit possessed at least Strong talent.

Demon Lizard Yihao seized the opportunity to catch up, smashing its axe into Scyther's back and severely injuring it. It then formed a pincer attack with Silent Magician from the front and back.

Scyther struggled desperately. Dragging its injured body, it barely held on for a minute, but it was ultimately defeated. Demon Lizard Yihao cut off its head with the axe, and its body burst apart into dense spiritual energy particles, far more numerous than those from every spirit it had defeated before.

Demon Lizard Yihao and Silent Magician absorbed the spiritual energy particles together, and both leveled up!

To save spiritual power and speed up its recovery, You Zhi quickly recalled Demon Lizard Yihao into its Pokémon Card. He then asked the girl, "Are you all right? Were you hurt?"

"I-I was fine. It was thanks to you arriving in time and saving me."

The lingering fear had not yet faded from the girl's face. Her eyes were watery, and with her snow-white skin, she looked like a delicate porcelain doll that inspired pity.

Seeing that she seemed so frightened her legs had gone weak, You Zhi stepped forward and helped her up. "Where was your home? I'll take you back."

Since he had rescued her, he ought to see the good deed through to the end. Otherwise, if the girl encountered danger again on her way home, would he not have saved her for nothing?

"Thank you. My home is at the southern exit of Ilex Forest." The girl did not refuse.

You Zhi did not know how far the southern exit of Ilex Forest was, but considering the girl's stamina and inconvenient outfit, he figured it could not be too far.

Suddenly, the noodle shop owner's warning surfaced in his mind. He instinctively felt it might be foreshadowing that would come true for him. So, while enduring the nauseating feeling of exhausted spiritual power, he walked ahead and cautiously watched their surroundings.

Fortunately, You Zhi had long been accustomed to hardship before transmigrating. He had even done many things others considered crazy in order to practice martial arts. His willpower far surpassed that of an ordinary person, so his expression remained unchanged.

The girl followed behind him. Looking at his not particularly broad back, she felt a sense of safety. Perhaps because the fear had yet to fade, her heart was still beating especially fast. She lowered her head to look at her hands, and a trace of shyness involuntarily appeared on her face.

After walking for about twenty minutes, the trees gradually became sparser. When they saw a signpost standing at a fork in the road, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

The girl quickened her pace and jogged for a hundred meters before arriving at a luxurious villa. "This is my home."

You Zhi glanced at it without surprise. On one hand, he had very few material needs in this life. On the other, he had already judged from the girl's clothes that she was either wealthy or noble.

"Then go inside. I should be leaving too."

You Zhi saw a beautiful woman walk out from inside the house and guessed she was the girl's mother. With no further concerns, he turned to leave.

The girl extended her hand, seeming to want to speak but stopping herself.

"Phile, why were you back so late?" The beautiful woman came to the door. Seeing the mud on the girl's clothes, she asked worriedly, "Did you fall in the forest? Were you hurt?"

At the sight of her, the girl immediately found support. She quickly told her about encountering danger in the forest and being saved.