My anime-style card deck is fine!

Who made this amazing card?!

And this was during the ultimate college entrance exam, which required temporary card-making... He simply couldn't figure out which guy was so awesome!?

"It's Amon."

On the platform, King Kong seemed to know what the gardener was thinking and suddenly spoke up.

In fact, his expression wasn't much better than the gardener's, but because he had greeted Mao beforehand, he accepted it more quickly and found the creator of this level while the gardener was still in a daze.

Or rather, he also found the creators of the first few levels.

It's a familiar name.

He's been hearing that name, King Kong, every day for the past few days, and he feels like his ears are getting calluses from hearing it.

result……

It truly lives up to its reputation!

Thinking back to the four levels that completely crushed me before, and the previous round of exams, the Gargantuar giants trampled everything, leaving even my bronze body feeling shocked and desperate.

King Kong felt that he would never forget the name 'Amon' in his lifetime.

"...Being from the same era as this guy, I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing." King Kong flipped through the information provided by the quiz assistant, his face expressionless.

Despite his appearance, he is actually quite proud and arrogant.

So far, the only one who has been able to subdue him is Wang Quan... and now there's another one, Amon.

His goal, both then and now, is to catch up with the monarchy.

only……

Now there's another one, Amon, a man no less powerful than a king, standing right behind him, seemingly chasing after him, but in reality, he knows perfectly well...

She was no longer an obstacle to him at all.

Just like a giant walking in the wilderness, he was just a stone that could be seen anywhere on the giant's path, only a little bit bigger, but so what?

For the giants, they were nothing more than passing scenery.

However, because of its unusual shape and size, it might catch the giant's eye a few more times.

Chapter 138: [Mao]!

—Mallow, the Grass-type Pokémon Trainer—

property: grass

Rating: ★★★

Entry: [Pokémon Trainer], [Alola Region], [Island Tour]

Attack 1000; Defense 1000;

Effect ①: Grass-type Pokémon Trainer - When a Grass-type Pokémon is on the field, this card is unaffected by other card effects and cannot be attacked by other cards. Grass-type Pokémon gain an extra move per turn.

Effect 2: Pokémon Academy of Melemele Island - When there are no Pokémon on the field, return this card to the Deck and Special Summon another Alola region Pokémon Trainer from the Deck, excluding this card.

Effect 3: Island Tour – When this card is successfully summoned, you can summon one [Pokémon - Lanthuja]. Lanthuja summoned by this effect will always be at Level 49 and will gain a [Totem Pokémon] counter. Pokémon holding this counter can choose one of their stats to increase by 50%.

(A long-awaited display of card effects...)

Returning to the previous point, what exactly is a real Pokémon duel?

Of course, it's [Pokémon] and [Trainers]!

These two have never been clearly separated, but rather they rely on and support each other. The bond and emotion between Pokémon and trainers make them inseparable!

Trainers embark on a journey with their Pokémon.

The Pokémon then surround the trainer to help them achieve their dream!

And the stage where these bonds, emotions, dreams, and everything are entrusted and declared to the world is—the Pokémon Arena!

"Explain the rules first!"

Mallow, brimming with energy, raised a finger: "The rules for this duel are as follows: since this is a [Pokémon Double Battle], according to the effects of this arena, each player can only have two Pokémon or followers on the field. Also, when all of a player's Pokémon are defeated, the duel is declared lost!"

"Ah, if you don't have Pokémon, you're not affected by this defeat rule," Mao added.

Then, he composed himself and said brightly:

"Then, the field will be fixed as [Grassland]. Based on the field's effect, both sides' followers and Pokémon will recover one-eighth of their HP each turn, while Grass-type Pokémon and followers will have their HP doubled. Additionally, Pokémon's Grass-type moves will be enhanced!"

"So, is there anything else you don't understand?"

Mao tilted his head and asked.

The gardener listened quietly, but after listening to the whole thing, he was only puzzled: "...Is that all?"

"Huh? What else?"

Mao tilted her head to the other side and asked in a cute and adorable way.

"..."

The gardener was somewhat incredulous: "So, that means I'm completely unrestricted and can use the entire deck?"

“Yes!” Mao nodded with a smile. “Is there a problem?”

Big problem!

A card master can fully utilize their own deck, which means that the card master's strength will be maximized - which is completely different from the previous levels where they were restricted and oppressed to the point of being unable to breathe!

If he were to use his deck to its fullest extent, what would happen to the extremely arrogant Corviknight in the first few stages? What would happen to Toxic Spikes's underworld Supervillain?

Not to mention, the Twin-Tailed Hand can't even be considered a complete battle stage.

Aside from Laplace's End Song, which he really couldn't handle, the previous levels were all a piece of cake for him!

"Really? I've been underestimated!"

The gardener was not pleased but angry. The other party just casually threw a minion here, trying to be in his prime—and the rules even had a special failure effect on the other party!

Instead of restricting me, you're now doing it yourself?!

This isn't just being underestimated, it's something else entirely!

"Huh? Huh?!" Mao was a little at a loss, wanting to explain but not knowing how to start.

Because she didn't set up the content of this level; she was just asked to stay here as the guardian trainer of this level.

"I'm sorry!" Mao apologized first.

"...This is none of your business." The gardener wasn't about to lose his temper with such a lovely servant, and he quickly calmed down after his annoyance.

Angry? What reason does he have to be angry?

How Amon sets the exam questions is his business; he is merely a challenger who comes to take the test!

All he could do was set the exam questions:

Completely defeated!

“Let’s begin,” the gardener said calmly.

"Phew~" Mao patted her chest. The oppressive atmosphere just now really made her feel a little lost.

However, after breathing a sigh of relief, Mao became serious.

Regardless of right or wrong in the past, the real issue now is Pokémon battles—Mao will never treat Pokémon battles as a trivial matter!

"Alright, then—let the duel begin!"

As Mao's words fell.

A dueling arena appeared out of nowhere, a duel bestowed by the Corridor of All Things. Mao, representing Amon, stood confidently on the opposite dueling platform, holding a dueling disk.

He seemed rather excited.

However, the gardener had no time to care about the feelings of a mere follower; he just wanted to finish the job quickly!

"Activate the magic card!"

The gardener slams a card onto the Duel Disk: "[Royal Park Landscape] - When this card is activated, I can send two cards from my hand back to the Deck, and then set a Ritual Card from the Deck to the field."

"Ritual cards retrieved through this effect can be activated immediately regardless of conditions!"

"Activation Ceremony Card [Garden Landscaping - Artificial Rocks]!"

The gardener's gaze was cold as he used cards one after another, and soon strange, jagged rocks rose up on the field, scattered randomly across the area.

They were like pieces of giant corpses.

"The effect of [Landscape Design - Rockery] is once per turn, adding ten [Rockery] counters to the field!" The gardener's action was not over.

Garden art is never just about flowers, plants, and trees!

It is mountains, it is water, it is flowers, it is grass, it is trees, it is wind... it is the calls of animals in the forest, it is magnificent architecture, it is solemn halls, it is gently flowing streams!

Garden art is the art of space, the art of scenery!

He is a gardener.

A master of landscape architecture!

"Then activate the magic card from my hand—[Stacked Mountains Landscape - Lake Light and Color Painting]!"

Rumble…

On the ground, the scattered jagged rocks came together, transforming into a flowing stream, surrounded by a hazy mist, and adorned with grass and flowers. Rather than a stone figure, it resembled a graceful lady.

Despite being a rugged, uneven rock formation, everyone who sees it for the first time would think it's an absolutely stunning beauty!

The unique subtlety of the East, a beauty sculpted from rocks.

—The lake's shimmering light is like a painting!

Meanwhile, at the same time the gardener played the first card, Mallow had already sent out his two Pokémon!

"Activate my effect to Special Summon 1 Pokémon Lanthuja from my Deck. Lanthuja summoned by this effect gains a Totem Counter!"

"Pokémon that obtains the Totem Mark can choose one type to increase by 50%!"