It was now break time. During lesson, I sneakily switched out the Coral Assault and Wheel Assault in Tadokoro's deck with the Elpida and Penguin Soldier I borrowed from Hashimoto in preparation for my plan.

I was planning to beat Mitsuba with this budget deck made up of RR and lower cards to teach him the value of low rarity units. That way, he could finally upgrade his deck and stop obsessing over using max rarity.

I got the idea from Momiji-sensei yesterday, but tweaked what she did to fit my circumstances better. Rather than have Mitsuba play it, it would be easier if I just showed him the brutal strength of "weak" units coming together in a cardfight. By winning with this deck, he'd have no choice but to acknowledge all types of rarities.

The Takanori group set up in the back, immediately getting into fights to practice. Akihiro, meanwhile, began constructing his deck without hesitation, now that his fears had been put to rest earlier this morning. Before Mitsuba could find a partner to fight with, I approached him from behind and tapped him on the shoulder.

"G-gah! Oh, phew... it's just you, best friend Takanori-san. You nearly gave me a heart attack, ha ha ha!"

Please stop calling me your best friend, this is embarrassing...

"Mitsuba-san, do you want to fight?"

"Aw, hell yeah! I wanna see if you can step up to me, the almighty ikemen God, Mitsuba-sama!"

Mitsuba laughed narcissistically, putting his foot on a chabudai to gain some height so he could look down at me from above. Seriously, when did he come up with that ridiculous title...?

We set up our cards swiftly and played jankenpon to decide who would go first. Saisho guu, jankenpon! I felt like a little kid doing that. I won, so I got to go first.

"Good luck, have fun."

"Heh, I don't need it. Save it for yourself."

Even though I was trying to show him sportsmanship, Mitsuba declined my offer of good luck while brushing imaginary dirt off his shoulders. Talk about cocky...

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Blow Bubble Dracokid!"

"Lizard Runner, Undeux— hey wait, that's not Narukami! When did you switch to Aqua Force?! That's cheating!"

"I just want to test this deck out. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Well, yes, but actually, no."

"Good. Before we play, I want you to pay close attention to the rarity of all my cards in my deck as we fight."

"Huh? I mean, if you say so."

"Then, I'll begin. Stand and draw. I ride, Blue Wings of Resonance, Maxios! Blow Bubble's skill, I draw a card. Turn end."

Coincidentally, my uncle's name was also Maxios. Though, ironically, he was the Branch Manager for Zoo, and not Magallanica.

Yuuto:
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

Mitsuba:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride, Sabel Dragonewt, draw a card, and get a Quick Shield ticket! Dragonewt, attack! (8000)"

While I would've liked to guard with the Despina in my hand to prevent his on hit, I needed damage next turn for Basilia's skill.

"No guard."

"Drive check! (Dragonic Overlord)"

"Damage check! (Blue Wings of Faith, Basilia)"

"Dragonewt's on hit, I draw a card! Turn end!"

Yuuto:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
OXO
OOO

Mitsuba:
Hand: 9
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

OST: Gluttony Fang II

"Stand and draw. I ride, Blue Wings of Obduracy, Simeon!"

Impressively, Simeon was an 11k base grade 2. However, he would lose 5k Power if I had no other Blue Wings units on my board.

"I call, Blue Wings of Faith, Basilia and use her skill! I counterblast and reveal the top three cards of my deck! I add any number of "Blue Wings" from among them to my hand!"

"Gacha gods, please screw him over..."

I revealed the top three cards of my deck. To Mitsuba's dismay, it was a triple Blue Wing hit on the Aqua Force slot machine - a.k.a, jackpot.

"I add Blue Wings of Resonance, Maxios, Blue Wings of Empathy, Makarios, and Blue Wings of Obduracy, Simeon to my hand. Then, I call all three of them, alongside Blue Wings of Great Cause, Phayllos!"

With a single counterblast, I had managed to fill half my board. Mitsuba gulped as I called from hand to my last open rear-guard circle.

"Since I have four or more Blue Wings, Maxios get +10k (7000 > 17000) and Makarios prevents all of my rear-guards from being chosen by your card effects!"

This way, he wouldn't be able to hose down my board without using a non-targeting retire skill.

"Boosted by Makarios, Simeon attacks! (11000 > 19000)"

"No guard! (Nouvellecritic Dragon)"

"Boosted by Maxios, Phayllos attacks! (9000 > 26000)"

"Yikes... no guard! (Sabel Dragonewt)"

"Boosted by Basilia, my vanguard Simeon attacks! (11000 > 18000)"

"Dragon Monk, Genjo guard! (28000)"

Smartly, he decided to stop my vanguard from hitting with a no pass. However, since I was feeling lucky from my earlier jackpot, I decided to spin the Aqua Force slot machine once more and bet on getting a heal trigger here to show Mitsuba the true power of Blue Wings.

"Drive check!"

I flipped the top card of my deck over. Will my rotten luck finally turn around? The answer to that...

"Get, Heal trigger! (Medical Officer of the Rainbow Elixir)"

It was a resounding yes. At least, for this very moment. The card in my hand seemed to glow bright green as I checked it.

"What's with the smug look on your face? You can't even heal, I have more damage than you!"

"I can still give power. All to my vanguard! (11000 > 21000) Then, all of my units skills activate!"

"...a-all of your units?!"

"All Blue Wings share this effect: once per turn, when my drive check reveals a heal trigger, I can stand that unit. Since my entire field is made up of Blue Wings, I stand all of them!"

Mitsuba was gobsmacked. He was about to face a second wave of the Blue Wing's brutal assault.

"W-what?! D-does that mean your vanguard stands as well?!"

"That's right. When I said all of my units... I meant all of them. Boosted by Makarios, Simeon attacks! (11000 > 19000)"

"T-Tahr, guard! (23000)"

"Boosted by Maxios, Phayllos attacks! (9000 > 26000)"

"N-no guard! (Berserk Dragon)"

"Boosted by Basilia, my vanguard Simeon attacks! (21000 > 28000)"

"Crap... n-no guard!"

Mitsuba didn't have the means to sacrifice a large portion of his hand to stop this dangerous attack. Not even a single heal trigger would've stopped it.

"Drive check! (Jewel Staff of Emerald, Elpida)"

"Damage check! (Wyvern Guard, Barri) Draw trigger! All to vanguard and draw a card! (18000)"

"Turn end."

Yuuto:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
XXX
XXX

Mitsuba:
Hand: 7
Damage: 4
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride, Berserk Dragon! His skill, counterblast and soulblast to draw a card! I call, Nouvellecritic Dragon and Nouvellecritic Dragon! Then, I'll—"

Mitsuba stopped just as he was about to attack. His eyes widened, staring at Simeon.

"Damn it, why is your vanguard 11k?! I need to call boosters... gah, I call Flame of Hope, Aermo and Nouvelleroman Dragon! Boosted by Nouvelleroman, Berserk attacks! (9000 > 17000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Dragonic Overlord the End)"

"Damage check! (Blue Wings of Great Cause, Phayllos)"

"Boosted by Aermo, Nouvellecritic attacks! Aermo's skill, get +3k! (9000 > 17000 > 20000)"

"No guard! (Battleship Intelligence) Wasted critical."

I would've liked to guard, since Nouvellecritic had an on hit skill, but I needed two counterblast for next turn, so I didn't have a choice.

"Nouvellecritic's skill, since his attack hit, I add a Transcendence Dragon, Dragonic Nouvelle Vague from my deck to my hand! Turn end!"

Yuuto:
Hand: 5
Damage: 3
XXX
XXX

Mitsuba:
Hand: 6
Damage: 4
XXX
XXO

"Stand and draw! I ride, Navalgazer Dragon!"

I felt confident I could end things here. His hand had a Quick Shield, two zero shield cards, Nouvelle Vague and The End, and his interceptors totalled to 10k shield. I would be able to get rid of both of them with Phayllos alone.

"Imaginary Gift: Accel II! I draw a card. I call Maxios to the Accel circle and his skill activates! (7000 > 12000 > 22000)"

Right now, all my columns were sizeable threats. I was able to attack five times here, possibly even eight times if I drew a heal trigger, so if I don't close out the game on this turn, then I would have at least crippled him to the point of death.

"Phayllos attacks first! (9000) His skill, when he attacks, since I have four or more Blue Wings, I counterblast and soulblast to stand him!"

"Nouvellecritic intercepts! (14000)"

Just as I predicted.

"Boosted by Makarios, Simeon attacks! (11000 > 19000)"

"No guard!"

In a desperate attempt to survive, Mitsuba used the last open spot in his damage zone to dig for a trigger to make guarding easier for himself. It was the correct play to make in my opinion.

"Damage check! (Flame of Hope, Aermo)"

However, that pipe dream didn't come true. Mitsuba was forced to guard my Blue Wings assault without any outside help.

"Maxios attacks! (22000)"

"Nouvellecritic intercepts! Quick Shield ticket! Dekat guards! (9000 > 14000 > 19000 > 24000)"

And just like that, three cards of his flimsy defence had disappeared.

"Boosted by Maxios, Phayllos attacks! (9000 > 26000)"

"Barri, perfect guard!"

Mitsuba was forced to use his sentinel against the rear-guard. Since he discard Nouvelle Vague, that meant he only had one card left in his hand with shield, as the other card in his hand was The End. This meant my vanguard would definitely hit.

"Boosted by Basilia, Navalgazer attacks! (12000 > 19000) Navalgazer's skill! Since his attack is the third battle or more of this turn, I can counterblast to stand my Maxios on Accel and give him +10k! (22000 > 32000)"

This was my contingency plan if he hit a heal trigger. However, to my surprise...

"Barri, perfect guard!"

Mitsuba ditched his entire hand and front row stop the first four attacks. His only hope left was for me not to drive check a critical or heal trigger, and for him to get a heal trigger for his sixth damage.

"Twin Drive!! (Light Signals Penguin Soldier, Blue Wings of Faith, Basilia) No triggers. Maxios attacks! (32000) Emerald Sniper!"

Barri created a shield that kept Navalgazer out from damaging Berserk Dragon, but there was a gap in his defence at a tight angle on the side.

Peeking his head out from the top of a ravenous mountain, the Blue Wings' expert huntsman, Maxios, loaded his rifle and placed it between a dip in the rocks. Using the eyepiece at the top of the rifle to lock onto his target, Maxios took a sharp breath, the tip of his finger pressed against the trigger.

"Target acquired... confirming distance... wind speed optimal... commencing to fire."

He relayed into the earpiece hidden underneath his emerald green hair. Narrowing his eyes, he pulled the trigger, firing a purple beam straight at Berserk Dragon's weak-point. Thick black smoke emerged from the barrel tip.

"Purple Haze."

Barri's shield disintegrated, and in that moment, the perfectly timed purple beam shot through Berserk Dragon's chest, more specifically his heart. Blood squirted from the fatal wound and caused Berserk Dragon to limp over to the floor, twitching to death.

"Gacha gods, don't fail me now... damage check! (Dragonic Overlord the End)"

Mitsuba stared at the card, throwing it on the table angrily.

"Argh, you gotta be kidding me! How do I keep losing before grade 3 ride?!"

For some reason, I could hear Kawaguchi shuffle away from us. Don't tell me, he also pulled the same thing I did on Mitsuba before...

"Did you pay attention to the rarity of my cards during the fight?"

"That's kind of hard to do when you're trying to focus on surviving..."

"Then I'd suggest you take a closer look now."

Mitsuba put down his cards and examined my board carefully. His eyes widened when he realised what they all had in common.

"N-none of the cards on your field... are RRR or higher!"

Mitsuba shrieked in fear, jumping out of his seat, and scrambling back to get away. With a shaking finger, he pointed at my cards like they were the devil.

"W-what kind of disgusting deck is that?! D-don't you run any RRR or higher cards?! Y-you do, right?!"

It would be fitting to chuckle here with a smirk, but I'd be acting overconfident if I did. Instead, I simply picked up my deck and spread it open in front of Mitsuba's eyes.

"Not a single one. This deck is comprised entirely of RR and lower cards. And your deck, filled to the brink with bling, has just lost to my pauper deck."

Mitsuba took a deep breath, regathering his composure after the initial shock he received from my peasant deck. Gritting his teeth with a fire in his eyes, he shook his head and stormed back to the table, invigorated.

"I refuse to believe it... there's no way my deck that costed millions of yen would lose to something worth less than my lunch money! I want a rematch, Takanori-san! You had a lucky fluke, getting that heal trigger on turn 2! I'll show you the true strength of my Overlord deck!"

I had a feeling he'd want to fight me again, so I had prepared another way of proving to him that my deck could beat his. That was to handicap myself even further.

"If you think I won because of that heal trigger, then I'll take out all the heals from my deck and replace them with these draw triggers."

I showed off to Mitsuba the draw triggers I had asked Tadokoro to also borrow from Hashimoto. His bravado was immediately shattered by my ballsy declaration that I'd run no heals in my deck. Not only would I be unable to heal damage, but I'd also be unable to use the main gimmick of Blue Wings altogether.

"You'll what?!"

"That's right. I want to show to you the true strength of the weak when handled by a skilled pilot."

"Stop screwing with me! If you're not going to use heals, I won't either!"

"And what will you replace them with? Common criticals? You run those triggers because they're foil. I guess you could use Jannat, but you don't have the SP version of him, do you? Plus, you'd be breaking the Sentinel limit by doing so."

With that rock solid defence, Mitsuba couldn't replace his triggers. It would be going against his own personal philosophy of refusing to use non-shiny, non-max rarity cards. If he wanted to be petty and replace his heals like me, then I would've won the war by forcing him to use commons. If he could run that, then he should be able to run base rarity DOTX.

"Takanori-san, you sly, underhanded, dirty dog... whatever! I'll beat you and make you eat your words!"

"Come."

We had two more fights. Though, the outcome of both were obvious. Even handicapped and at a great disadvantage, I won both each time.

"I-I don't understand... how are you doing this?! Why are you winning?! My cards are higher rarity, they're better than yours!"

"You say that, but have you ever actually won with your max rarity deck, Mitsuba-san? The deck I used today was an extreme example, but cast your mind back to the matches you've had over the course of this week. Think of your opponents and the rarity of the cards they used."

"I've won... a grand total of zero games."

Mitsuba sheepishly admitted through a quiet, defeated mutter.

"What did all your opponents have in common, regarding their deck?"

"They... t-they..."

Mitsuba started to break down as he uttered something completely against his personal philosophy.

"T-they used... d-double rare and lower cards... in their deck..."

"That's right. Do you see it yet? A deck can't function on just RRR and higher cards alone. It's a combination of high rarity and low rarity cards that let their decks function at maximum capacity. Imagine if I was able to use Coral Assault and Wheel Assault."

I showed Mitsuba the RRR cards I had taken out of Tadokoro's deck.

"Ooh, shiny!"

"This deck would gain another layer of power, making it even stronger. As long as the foundations of your deck are solid, it doesn't matter what rarity the cards are. In Vanguard, what matters most are your cards effects, and your skill as a player to use those effects to their full advantage."

It was like a chef using exclusively high-end, expensive ingredients. That would erase the possibility for dishes that required cheap and inexpensive foods, such as eggs or bread. You would only be limiting your ability to create a delicious dish, rather than increase it.

In other words, Mitsuba was a chef who only knew how to cook gold-leaf topped caviar dusted with truffle and nothing else. That was his fatal weakness.

"But... they're so ugly! They don't have good foiling on them! I don't want to run something I don't find attractive!"

"Then you can continue staying as a mediocre - no, a bad player, while everyone else improves. Do you really want to be left behind?"

"Of course not! But I... I don't want to run those cards! No way, no way, no way!"

"It's the only way. Face reality, Mitsuba-san. Do you think you can continue on like this forever? Refusing to use cards because they're not high rarity? What if one day they release a sexy Dragon Dancer that's an instant 4-of in every Kagero deck, but it's a common card? What will you do then, huh?"

"I..."

Mitsuba gritted his teeth as tears formed in the corners of his closed eyes.

"I believe in your potential to soar to even greater heights. The only thing stopping you from reaching the apex of superiority to dominate everyone in the war is your stubbornness to not run lower rarity cards. Imagine it, Mitsuba-san! A future where you masterfully wield both high and low rarity cards in each hand! You can turn dirt into gold with your own skill!"

Mitsuba hit the chabudai, wiping away his tears.

"I... I'll make those ugly cards shine! I'll drive up their worth so much, they'll become more expensive than an SVR! I'll use those stupid, useless, god damned low rarity bastards, Takanori-san!"

"That's the spirit!"

With the sparks of fiery passion emerging in his heart, Mitsuba was born anew. No longer was he a high rarity snob. He was now The Blacksmith. Someone who forged from the dirt, turning low rarity cards into high rarity masterpieces.

"I don't need you anymore! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

As a show of his resolve, Mitsuba took out a copy of his origin rare Dragonic Overlord from it's sleeve and ripped it in half. Then, he dug into his toolbox and took out a base rarity VR Dragonic Overlord "The X" to replace it. He hesitated putting it in at first, but once the corner of DOTX slid in, the rest of the card did as well.

"I-I-I did it... I put a non-max rarity card in my deck!"

"And you'll put many more to come. If you've realised their worth, then I feel confident leaving this with you."

I took out four cards from my blazer pocket, and left them in front of Mitsuba. If he understood what to do with it, this would become the hidden ace up his sleeve in the war. He picked up the cards, reading them.

"What the... t-this kind of card existed in Kagero?! And it's only a rare?!"

"That's right. I've been waiting for this moment to give it to you. You would've rejected this card otherwise. I'll leave the rest to you now. Turn that low rarity garbage into something worth millions, Mitsuba-san."

"Yes, I will, best friend Takanori-san!"

For once, I didn't feel annoyed by him calling me his best friend. Mitsuba has grown up, just a little. However, maintaining this change in his mindset was the most important part. All of this would be pointless if he went back to his old ways before the war.

Since I was done with Tadokoro's deck, I put the cards back into their proper sleeves and returned it to her, along with Hashimoto's cards.

"Thanks again."

"A-ah, it's no problem..."

Just as I was about to leave, I saw Tadokoro take out the Revonn Kawaguchi gave her earlier from her bag and replaced one of her grade 3s with it. For some reason, it had the same energy as a good luck charm.

I went back to my desk, where I took out the replica of Zyriot's deck I made from my bag. I approached Akihiro, who was shuffling his cards and checking test hands.

"Sorry I took so long. Convincing Mitsuba-san was tougher than I thought it'd be."

"Nah, you're just on time. I think I'm happy with this deck."

"Good to hear. Shall we get down to business?"

"Hell yeah. Let's do this, Takanori!"

Me and Akihiro started practicing for his fight against Zyriot. However, as we played, a painful throbbing emerged in my upper right arm and shoulder. I wondered what that was all about...