This Trainer Has No Sportsmanship

[Instant-Activation Spell Card: Half Dragonmaid's Farewell]

[Effect: Target 1 "Dragonmaid" spirit on your field; that spirit changes into another form and cannot be destroyed by battle or effects for a period of time.]

"It came just when I needed it. It isn't an Associated Card, but it's an exclusive card from the Dragonmaid series. With this, I can confirm whether Laundry Dragonmaid has an evolved form. If she really can evolve into a dragon like she said, the mount problem will be solved."

You Zhi took the newly formed Spell Card and absorbed it into his body. Then, he sacrificed all his remaining spiritual power and carried out one final summon.

[Charge Spell: Laundry Dragonmaid's Predicament]

[Effect: ① Activate when a spirit is summoned onto your field; randomly refine 1 Spell Card and put it into cooldown. ② When this card is forcibly put into cooldown by an effect, target 1 other Spell Card in cooldown; that card is refined again, but cannot be activated until a period of time has passed. (When the trait of "Dragonmaid · Laundry Dragonmaid" is activated on the field, this unrefined card is guaranteed to be selected.)]

Although this card's name included "Laundry Dragonmaid," its effect had no exclusive wording. It was undoubtedly an Associated Card.

You Zhi looked over the effect and could not help complaining, "It's a card for recovering Spell Cards, and it can only work with Laundry Dragonmaid. Without Laundry Dragonmaid, it's barely any better than an E-rank card."

(Author: Still only one update today.)

Azure River Dragonmaid

The day after obtaining the new card, You Zhi took Laundry Dragonmaid out into the wilderness for combat testing.

South of Goldenrod City lay Ilex Forest. On the way there was a vast undeveloped wilderness area packed with wild spirits. Their average strength was a little higher than those in Ilex Forest. Trainers usually came here to train their spirits, and if they encountered one with promising talent, they would try to capture it.

Of course, besides heading into the wild, one could also hire sparring partners at professional training centers for more attentive service. There could even be coaches to help formulate detailed testing plans. In every respect, it was far better than the unpredictable wilderness—as long as one was willing to spend the money.

You Zhi was not willing to spend it. So, he rode his bicycle to the southern wilderness area. After leaving the main road and searching for a while, he encountered a wild spirit that looked like a clown.

[Dark Jester Zachi (3 Stars) DARK]

[Lineage: Psychic]

[Level: 9]

[Talent: Average]

[Attack: 600 (480)]

[Defense: 1500 (1200)]

[Spellcaster. Description: A jester who comes and goes without a trace, evading attacks with incredible movements.]

Without hesitation, You Zhi drew out a Spirit Card and summoned Laundry Dragonmaid.

The moment Laundry Dragonmaid appeared, her first trait activated, automatically refining three Spell Cards and putting them into cooldown.

This trait was undoubtedly a negative trait in a Spirit Duel, because there were simply too few Spell Cards whose effects could be triggered only after entering cooldown.

Moreover, unlike Card Duels, which had a limited number of cards, a trainer's "deck" consisted of every Spell Card they had mastered. Thus, the more experienced the trainer, the deeper their reserves. Trying to randomly draw one particular card was truly difficult. Even with You Zhi's luck, he did not dare claim he had that kind of godlike draw ability.

However, when paired with the Associated Card effect of "Laundry Dragonmaid's Predicament," this trait became beneficial, though it still depended on luck.

If the other two selected Spell Cards were B-rank cards like Heavenly Might's Peerless Fist and Dimensional Prison, then it would be a huge profit. But if they turned out to be E-rank cards like White Hole or Goblin's Half-Hearted Effort, it could only be called better than nothing.

Three Spell Cards formed automatically and dimmed. One of them was precisely "Laundry Dragonmaid's Predicament." Its effect activated, allowing him to select one of the other Spell Cards already in cooldown and refine it again.

The other two cards were Goblin Thief and Final Assault Order. To prevent the wild spirit from running away, You Zhi chose the latter. A washing machine suddenly appeared on the field. After spinning wildly, it spat out "Final Assault Order," which landed right in You Zhi's hand.

Dark Jester Zachi was a little confused by the washing machine that had suddenly appeared and vanished. After carefully observing Laundry Dragonmaid in her white apron, he felt that she was not much stronger than him. She also did not look particularly smart, so he did not choose to flee. He pushed both hands forward and activated Confusion.

Laundry Dragonmaid had no time to dodge and was struck head-on. With a cry of "Wah," she flew backward and crashed into the grass, sending blades of grass flying everywhere.

While refining a Spell Card, You Zhi said, "Don't just stand there like an idiot. Use Dragon Breath to attack him."

Laundry Dragonmaid steadied herself, puffed out her cheeks, and spat forward, firing a wave filled with Dragon Breath energy.

Dark Jester Zachi used Teleport to evade it, then giggled as he activated Confusion again and blasted Laundry Dragonmaid away.

Several more rounds of battle followed. Laundry Dragonmaid was flustered and overwhelmed. Though both her abilities and talent surpassed her opponent's, she was still being beaten back. At one point, she even tripped over a rock while moving.

With a performance like that, it was no wonder the Game Corner had considered Laundry Dragonmaid untalented and priced her near the bottom.

Fortunately, both spirits had low attack and high defense. Even after taking several blasts of Confusion in a row, Laundry Dragonmaid was still lively and energetic. Only her apron had gotten dirty.

You Zhi could not bear to watch any longer. The instant "Half Dragonmaid's Farewell" was refined in his hand, he activated it. A blue beam shot from the Spell Card and struck Laundry Dragonmaid.

Laundry Dragonmaid's body first stiffened. Then her spiritual power surged, her appearance changed drastically, and her body grew larger and longer. In the blink of an eye, she became a four-meter-long blue dragon.

[Dragonmaid · Azure River Dragonmaid (7 Stars) Water-type]

[Lineage: Dragon-Type, Water-type]

[Level: 14]

[Talent: Ferocious]

[Attack: 2600 (1820)]

[Defense: 1600 (1120)]

[Dragon-Type. Effects: ① When changing form, activate by targeting 1 destroyed spirit on either side of the field; reconstruct that spirit's spiritual body. ② As long as a Fusion Form spirit exists on your field, this spirit cannot be destroyed by effects. ③ When battling an opponent's spirit, this spirit can change its own form.]

"An Eastern dragon? That was rather unexpected."

Since Laundry Dragonmaid wore an apron and was a maid, a distinctly Western profession, You Zhi had assumed her evolved form would definitely be a Western dragon. He had not expected her appearance to resemble an Eastern dragon instead. The most obvious features were her lack of wings and the pair of deer antlers on her head rather than goat horns. The only difference from an Eastern dragon was that her skin was covered not in scales, but in soft fur.

"Still, fur should make her more comfortable to ride."

Although Azure River Dragonmaid's lineage did not include Flying-type, she could float in the air. She was more than adequate as an ordinary flying mount. He just did not know how fast she was.

The moment Dark Jester Zachi saw his opponent's appearance transform and her spiritual power soar, making her seem like an entirely different dragon from before, he realized he was no match for her. He decisively turned and ran.

You Zhi immediately activated the Final Assault Order he had set on the field. Accompanied by a burst of battle cries, Dark Jester Zachi's eyes turned red. He completely abandoned the idea of fleeing, turned around, and charged back to fight Azure River Dragonmaid to the death.

Then Azure River Dragonmaid beat him to pieces in no time.

"Oh? Her movements became agile after evolving. She knows how to seize opportunities now, and she isn't clumsy anymore. It seems her two forms correspond to a housekeeping form and a combat form. Her traits are somewhat like those of Gladiator Beasts."

At that moment, Azure River Dragonmaid, now without an opponent, turned to look at You Zhi and then pounced toward him.

Just as You Zhi thought that her higher star rating after evolution meant she no longer intended to obey his commands, he suddenly felt something wet on his face. She had licked him with her tongue.

"You're a dragon, not a dog. Why are you licking me?"

You Zhi pushed Azure River Dragonmaid away with a look of disgust. In response, she actually made pitiful "whimpering" noises like a puppy.

"Try changing back into your original form."

Azure River Dragonmaid nodded. Then her body began glowing, and before long, she changed back into Laundry Dragonmaid.

Looking at the half of You Zhi's face still covered in saliva, she said in a half-embarrassed, half-panicked voice, "Master, I didn't mean to. I couldn't really control myself after evolving."

"Mm, don't worry about it. Let's find another spirit for you to fight. Can you evolve again?" You Zhi asked.

Laundry Dragonmaid shook her head.

"Looks like you have to evolve normally first before gaining the ability to switch freely between the two forms."

You Zhi was considering whether to repeat the test when a bicycle bell suddenly rang behind him. He turned around and saw a familiar figure looking at him with delight while riding a bicycle.

(Author: Normal update volume resumes tomorrow.)

Riding Duel

"I thought it looked like you from behind. It really is you, Brother You Zhi."

Phile rode a white mountain bike. Wearing a helmet, a long-sleeved cycling jersey, and tight cycling shorts, she looked exactly like an athletic young girl, overflowing with health, sunshine, and lively energy. There was no trace left of the sheltered young lady she had once been.

You Zhi gave her a once-over and said, "You've gotten a lot sturdier than before too."

Judging by her figure alone, Phile was not much more muscular than before. Her limbs, especially her thighs, showed no obvious bulky muscles. But that was only when she was relaxed. In reality, her limbs were filled with springy muscle, and faint abdominal lines could be seen beneath her cycling jersey.

"Yeah, I gained ten pounds. Luckily, you can't tell from the outside," Phile complained. "Practicing martial arts makes you gain weight. Brother You Zhi, you should have warned me about something this important beforehand. When I first started gaining weight, I was so scared that I barely dared eat."

"Was that really important?" You Zhi asked in genuine confusion.

"It's extremely important to girls," Phile answered solemnly.

"Fine. I'll keep that in mind from now on."

When it came to small matters, You Zhi was always quick to accept advice.

Phile glanced at Laundry Dragonmaid behind You Zhi and asked curiously, "Is this a new spirit you captured, Brother You Zhi? She doesn't look very strong."

"Hmmph!"

Laundry Dragonmaid puffed up her cheeks, looking thoroughly unconvinced. But since Phile was her master's friend, she did not argue.

You Zhi said, "I heard from Mr. Pegasus that you've also begun a trainer's journey. How are the results?"

"Hehe." Phile planted one foot on the ground and put both hands on her hips, looking proud. "Don't be too shocked. I've already earned two badges. My next target is Goldenrod Gym."

As she spoke, she deliberately took out the badges from Violet Gym and Azalea Gym to prove she was not lying.

"That is indeed fast. But Goldenrod Gym's badge isn't easy to get. I suggest you challenge Ecruteak Gym first. Its Gym Leader, Morty, is easier to talk to."

"That won't do. I've already planned out my route for all eight badges. If I take a detour just because an opponent is strong, then there's no point in calling it a trial. The harder it is, the more meaningful the challenge."

Phile was brimming with confidence. Clearly, she had obtained her first two Gym Badges quite easily.

"Then all I can do is remind you that Goldenrod Gym Leader Whitney excels at using spirits as starting points, then combining them with a large number of Associated Spell Cards to finish opponents instantly."

"Oh, so she uses a defensive counterattack style."

Although spirits and Spell Cards complemented each other, different trainers had different priorities. Some focused on commanding spirits and used only one or two Spell Cards per duel as support, with the core of their strategy being to defeat opponents using spirit skills. Others focused on refining Spell Cards, with spirits merely serving as mediums to trigger associated effects, while the core of their strategy was defeating opponents through Spell Card effects.

The former had a faster combat tempo, with victories and defeats decided quickly in each duel. The latter had a slower tempo. Trainers usually ordered their spirits to stall for time and avoid direct confrontations, but once every Spell Card had been refined, victory or defeat would be decided in an instant.

Using football tactics as an analogy, it was the difference between possession-based offense and defensive counterattacks. You Zhi's dueling style leaned toward the former.

Of course, these were matters of personal preference. In an actual duel, trainers would choose different tactics depending on the spirits' real circumstances. It was not as if they did not know how to adapt.

"How many badges do you have now, Brother You Zhi?"

"Four."

"Hehe, then you'd better be careful, Brother You Zhi. Don't let me overtake you."

"Oh? You sound pretty confident. Want to have a match?"

As though she had been waiting for those words, Phile clenched her fists excitedly. "I was just about to let Brother You Zhi inspect the results of my training!"

"How do you want to do this? A temporary duel here, stopping at the right point, or an Official Duel after we return to Goldenrod City?"

"Tsk, tsk. Brother You Zhi, you're behind the times. The most popular method among young people now is Riding Duels." Phile patted the bicycle beneath her. "We can have a Spirit Duel while riding back to Goldenrod City. We can travel and duel at the same time."

"Riding Duels?"

The term sounded somewhat familiar to You Zhi. After thinking about it for a moment, he recalled that this seemed to be the main dueling format in the third Yu-Gi-Oh! series.

"Actually, Riding Duels are also divided into official and temporary versions. Official Riding Duels require riding a motorcycle equipped with spiritual instruments, allowing a mobile Duel Barrier to unfold. Bicycles like ours can only be used for temporary Riding Duels."

With Phile's explanation, You Zhi roughly understood the rules of Riding Duels. They differed greatly from the Yu-Gi-Oh! version he remembered.

First, not every spirit could participate. They had to be spirits skilled at flying or running. Since the two of them were riding bicycles, their speed was not especially high, so humanoid spirits could barely keep up on two legs. But if they switched to motorcycles, spirits such as Silent Magician and Magician's Valkyria would be left far behind.

Second, once a Spell Card was set, it remained fixed in place and could not move along with the trainer. Therefore, continuous Spell Cards could not be used. Charge Spells could only be forcibly activated by paying four times the spiritual power. Considering the cost-effectiveness, trainers basically used only Instant-Activation Spell Cards.

Lastly, Riding Duels required splitting one's focus to control the vehicle, which would inevitably affect a trainer's efficiency. Without the ability to multitask in three ways, one had to choose between commanding spirits and refining Spell Cards.

After listening to the explanation, You Zhi recalled Laundry Dragonmaid into her Spell Card. Then he waited in place for a while, until the cooldown periods of the Spell Cards he had used earlier ended.

Among the spirits under his command, Divergent Lizard Yihao and Rose Diamond after Quartz evolved could both fight while moving at high speed. But summoning either of them would be too much like bullying, so after comparing his options, he still chose Laundry Dragonmaid.

"Are you ready, Brother You Zhi?"

Phile urged impatiently.

"Let's begin."

The two set off side by side on their bicycles.

After riding some distance, You Zhi drew out a Spirit Card and summoned Laundry Dragonmaid. Her trait activated, automatically refining three Spell Cards and putting them into cooldown. "Laundry Dragonmaid's Predicament" activated, and one of the cards was refined again.

Since "Laundry Dragonmaid's Farewell," the card used for evolution, needed time to be refined, Laundry Dragonmaid could only run at full speed for the moment. Fortunately, her athletic ability was not bad, and her long blue tail helped her maintain balance. Keeping pace with the bicycles was no difficult task.

"Hehe, she looks like she's having a hard time."