Chapter 28: Testing the Deck

Sovinia’s hand was already on the door handle, ready to push it open and walk out, when she suddenly realized a serious problem: she still hadn’t upgraded her cards.

The Blazing Forgehammer was in her backpack, fully charged, with two upgrade opportunities.

If she went out to fight now, this loop wouldn’t be sustainable.

[Evolution] could only let her draw one extra card; [Evolution+] was needed to draw two.

Her movement paused.

She immediately closed the door again.

“Wait.”

Sovinia turned and walked back to the center of the room, pulling the heavy Blazing Forgehammer out of her backpack.

Wohard leaned against the corner of the wall, lifting his eyelids to watch her, not understanding what she was doing.

Sovinia didn’t explain.

She gripped the wooden handle of the forgehammer with both hands, closed her eyes, and sank her consciousness deep into her soul’s deck.

The card for [Blazing Strike +1] appeared in her mind’s eye, radiating a silver glow.

She channeled the energy stored in the forgehammer and poured it into the card.

Instantly, a brilliant golden light burst forth, and the sound of metal striking stone echoed in her mind.

She struck twice.

With the first hammer blow, [Blazing Strike +1] upgraded to [Blazing Strike +2], its damage increasing to 3.5 times the attack damage.

With the second blow, [Evolution] upgraded to [Evolution+].

Now, whenever she drew a status card, she could draw two extra cards.

In other words, the negative effect of [Reckless Charge]—directly stuffing a [Stun] card into the draw pile—had actually become a positive effect.

Sovinia opened her eyes.

She felt noticeably stronger.

She put the forgehammer back into her backpack.

The entire process took less than ten seconds.

From Wohard’s perspective, Sovinia was just holding a forgehammer with both hands and striking at the air a couple of times.

He figured it was probably some kind of elven ritual to boost her own morale.

“Alright,” she said.

Lifting the Moonlight Blade, she walked toward the door once more.

Wohard opened his mouth, as if to ask something, but in the end, he said nothing.

Sovinia pushed the door open.

Half her body had crossed the threshold when she stopped.

In the corridor, six Carrion Hounds were slowly approaching.

Not four or five.

Six.

Their eyes gleamed with a sickly green light in the darkness.

Rotten saliva dripped from their maws.

Their claws scraped against the stone floor, making a screeching sound.

The one leading the pack was the largest.

A ring of rusty iron chain hung around its neck, suggesting it had once been the war beast of some Demon Race warrior, now set free.

Sovinia’s fingers tightened around the sword hilt for a moment.

Six.

Two more than expected.

Standing in the doorway, half of her previous fighting spirit evaporated.

She didn’t immediately charge out.

She suddenly felt that actually going out for real combat wasn’t necessary.

Using Carrion Hounds as “research material” to test a new deck?

It sounded good on paper, but wasn’t actually a great idea.

First, she was already a hundred-year-old Heavenly King, a veteran card player; she knew this kind of thing by heart.

She didn’t need any practical testing.

She could deduce the deck’s operational logic even with her eyes closed.

Second, and most importantly, this body was too fragile.

Her skin was smooth, delicate, snow-white, and soft.

It looked beautiful, but it had no scales, no magical armor.

Those teeth were sharp and filthy.

A few bites from a Carrion Hound could directly tear through her flesh.

Moreover, the variance of the Unpredictable Card Deck was simply too large.

If she had bad luck and drew three [Attack] cards on her first turn, she was guaranteed to get injured.

In the past, she had had a powerful body, various blessings, and terrifying abilities to fall back on.

Now?

She was just a long-legged Elven Maiden.

But now, she did have something to fall back on.

That something was that “Stupid Dog,” Wohard, behind her.

Thinking this, Sovinia felt a bit annoyed.

She didn’t like this feeling of “needing to rely on others,” especially relying on her decapitation-ordered enemy.

But reality was reality.

Just as she was hesitating in the doorway, Wohard’s voice came from behind her.

“Miss Sovinia…”

Supporting himself against the wall, he tried to stand up.

His face was pale, and blood was seeping again from the bandage at his collarbone.

“Maybe… let me handle this.”

Sovinia’s pointed ears twitched.

She turned her head and looked at Wohard’s tottering form, feeling a surge of irritation.

‘This Stupid Dog is questioning my combat power?’

‘As a proper One Heavenly King under the Demon King! A terrifying existence who has killed without mercy for a century!’

‘Even if I’ve switched bodies now, even if this body is indeed a bit weak, I’m still an experienced warrior at the very least! Six Carrion Hounds, nothing to fear!’

Besides, what was Wohard implying?

That she was pampered and couldn’t even handle a few beasts?

Sovinia took a deep breath, straightened her back, and said, “Sit down. Just eat your meal. I was only conducting tactical reconnaissance. Don’t underestimate me.”

Wohard was stunned for a moment.

He looked at Miss Sovinia at the door.

Her silver hair shimmered faintly in the dim light.

Her delicate, oval face was etched with stubbornness, and her golden eyes blazed with a kind of unyielding spirit.

Wohard suddenly understood.

This mysterious Elf Princess, though seemingly delicate on the surface, was actually a self-reliant and independent young woman at her core.

She didn’t want to be seen as a burden.

She didn’t want to be protected.

She didn’t want others to think she was weak or incompetent.

Even in the midst of danger, even facing six ferocious Carrion Hounds, she wanted to stand on her own strength—just so he could rest a little more.

Wohard’s heart gave a heavy thump.

He slowly sat back down in the corner of the wall, his voice low.

“…I believe in you, Miss Sovinia.”

Hearing this, Sovinia nodded, turned around, and faced the six Carrion Hounds in the hallway once more.

Sovinia felt her scalp prickle.

‘What if something goes wrong?’ she thought silently.

‘It doesn’t matter if I lose face, I can just call that Stupid Dog out to deal with them.’

After all, her current persona was that of a “tortured Elf Princess.”

It was perfectly normal for her to call for backup if she couldn’t handle a fight.

It wasn’t embarrassing.

Yeah, it wasn’t embarrassing.

He didn’t know her true identity anyway.

It wasn’t her face that was being lost.

What was Kimi losing if Sovinia lost face?

Sovinia gripped the Moonlight Blade tight and stepped over the threshold.

The Carrion Hounds reacted immediately.

The leader let out a low growl.

Two smaller hounds flanked out from the sides, while the other three kept their distance, watching covetously.

Standard wolf pack tactics.

Sovinia recognized it at a glance.

She could even predict the pack’s next moves.

The front ones would pin her down, the ones in the back would bide their time to pounce.

They’d retreat if she advanced, advance if she retreated.

She’d seen it all before.

Sovinia narrowed her eyes.

She activated the Unpredictable Card Deck in her mind.

Turn One.

Three cards materialized in her vision: [Evolution+], [Reckless Charge], [Defense].

She had 2 cost points.

Sovinia made her judgment instantly.

First, use [Evolution+].

Cost: 0.

This card itself had no combat effect, but it allowed her to draw two extra cards whenever she drew a status card.

It was the core card-drawing engine of the entire deck.

Second, use [Defense].

Cost: 1.

A fragile ice shield condensed in front of her, a faint light flowing across its translucent icy surface.

Then, use the 0-cost [Reckless Charge].