NEET Receives a Dating Sim Game Leveling System
chapter-344

After everyone was dealt their cards, the first player of the first round immediately used a duel card, and the person chosen as their opponent accepted readily .

The two Spirit-branded Retainers walked into the dueling arena . One side was a girl with a pretty one-piece dress, short orange hair, and a fox mask strapped to the side of her head . On the other was a girl with curly blue hair . The blue-haired girl was wearing a more ceremonial dress .

"Let the duel begin," Shunsuke Furukawa, who was acting as the judge said .

At this, both of the Spirit-branded Retainers immediately began casting spells at each other . They cast many spells and fought in melee combat . They dodged nimbly, clashed fiercely, used combo attacks, fired ranged attacks . . . their fierce battle was difficult to follow .

One minute later, the blue-haired girl succeeded in immobilizing the orange-haired girl's legs with a chaining spell .

Furukawa immediately declared that the blue-haired girl was the victor .

It was apparent that neither Spirit-branded Retainer had been going all-out . Even so, was still a nice duel . . . or at the very least, Seiji, who lacked this type of dueling experience, felt that it was nice .

He also enjoyed watching all the duels that followed after as well .

When it was time for a handsome boy wearing dark blue Sakura Island clothing to take his turn, Natsuya whispered to Seiji: "That's Akatsuki Mitarai . "

Seiji took special note of him .

He was a handsome boy who seemed gentle, elegant, and bursting with charisma . If he were put into a television drama, he would certainly be either the male lead or a popular compassionate male love interest .

Akatsuki noticed Seiji's gaze upon him and looked over at Seiji . The two of them exchanged looks . Akatsuki smiled faintly, and in response Seiji furrowed his brows slightly . Their exchange of looks only lasted a short instant .

"I activate my duel card and choose as my opponent . . . Natsuya . " The dark blue-haired boy used a duel card .

'As expected . ' Seiji felt many glances focusing on him .

He ignored all the glances and focused on his opponent's Spirit-branded Retainer . Seiji saw that the person he would be dueling against was a handsome boy with a cold and distant expression . This boy had short dark purple hair . He was wearing a dark brown windbreaker, and both his hands sported black gloves .

"Akatsuki Mitarai's Spirit-branded Retainer's name is Naruo Yashuu . His bonded spirit is a Hannya, and his claws are incredibly fierce--be especially careful of them," Natsuya warned . "It's fine even if we lose this duel; don't force yourself . "

"I'll be careful," Seiji replied .

He and Naruo Yashuu both entered the dueling arena .

After they were both a certain distance away from each other, Shunsuke Furukawa indicated for them to begin the duel .

The purple-haired boy's figure instantly vanished .

'He's above me!' With his evolved [Astral Vision], Seiji was able to see Yashuu clearly . The purple-haired boy was in the sky, and he was about to bring his leg, bolstered by the force of gravity, down upon Seiji .

At the last moment, Seiji backflipped to dodge the attack and counterattacked with a football-style bicycle kick!

*Thud!* Yashuu blocked this kick with his arm .

They instantly separated from each other, putting some distance between them . But before long, they clashed again in a fierce battle involving their fists and feet .

From the bystanders' perspective, "Shiroya" was at a disadvantage and was forced to continuously retreat . Suddenly, "Shiroya" grew enraged out of embarrassment . He used a barrier spell to take Yashuu's attacks head-on while viciously punching!

Yashuu backpedaled in midair and stood there . He lifted his hand and formed a gigantic purple-red claw, which he controlled to attack Shiroya from a distance!

*Boom!!*

The gigantic magical claw hit its target . Shiroya's defensive barrier was shattered, and he was knocked away .

But while he was in midair, he suddenly shot out a [Mana Bullet]!

*Boom!!*

Yashuu, caught off guard, was sent flying .

Shiroya flipped through the air and landed on the ground . Yashuu also adjusted his posture and landed on the ground .

Shiroya flipped through the air and landed on the ground . Yashuu also adjusted his posture and landed on the ground .

"Stop!" Shunsuke Furukawa shouted . "The winner has been decided . It's Shiroya-san's victory . "

Naruo Yashuu instantly furrowed his brows and was about to say something when he came to a realization . He looked at his feet and noticed that one of his feet was out of bounds .

In this duel, someone who was forced out of bounds would be declared the loser!

Seiji revealed a smile which said "all according to plan . "

He had intentionally led his opponent to the edge of the dueling arena, then used what appeared to be a rash counterattack followed by a surprise [Mana Bullet], which knocked his opponent out of bounds .

It would be difficult to succeed if his opponent noticed his intentions, so the fact that he succeeded could largely be attributed to luck .

"Yoruhana-san's Spirit-branded Retainer . . . is rather clever . "

"His opponent set up a trap using the rules of the duel . That was pretty good . "

"For the famous 'Hanyuu Yashuu' to actually fall for such a tiny trick… he must have been overconfident . '"

"Although it was a devious trick, it was indeed done beautifully . "

"That's right! Especially the Mana Bullet at the end—that was quite precise . It was timed perfectly in the period after Shiroya's opponent relaxed his guard . A truly wonderful use of an opportunity!"

The other Yin-Yang Masters present at the table all gossiped with each other .

Natsuya had a delighted expression, while Akatsuki's expression became somewhat grimmer .

"Would the winner like to steal two cards or discard two cards?" the judge Ryouta Moritama asked .

"Steal two cards," Natsuya replied .

And so, the judge took Akatsuki's hand of cards, showed it to Natsuya, and allowed her to take two cards before returning the hand to Akatsuki .

During this entire process, Akatsuki's expression didn't change . However, his expression got noticeably grimmer again when he noticed what cards had been taken from him .

During this entire process, Akatsuki's expression didn't change . However, his expression got noticeably grimmer again when he noticed what cards had been taken from him .

"Yoruhana-san, your Retainer . . . what's Shiroya-san's bonded spirit? I can't tell, so could you enlighten me?" Kanna Fujihara, who happened to be sitting next to Natsuya, blinked curiously .

"My apologies, but that's a secret," Natsuya said .

Seiji returned to the round table . Natsuya grinned widely at him, and Seiji gave her a big thumbs-up in response .

Their first battle was a success . . . but it was only the first battle .

The game continued .

It was now Natsuya's turn .

She decided to use up one of her duel cards . She chose a girl wearing a flower hair accessory and pink Sakura Island clothing as her opponent . This girl's Spirit-branded Retainer was . . . Yuuki Oyokumo! It was the little red-haired boy who had chatted a little with Seiji in the garden .

Seiji and Yuuki both headed to the duel arena .

"Shiroya onii-chan, I'm going to battle seriously because I don't want to lose!" Yuuki warned .

"I don't want to lose either . . . or, I should say that I can't lose, Oyokumo-kun . " Seiji's voice was calm, but Yuuki felt the unshakeable will behind it .

'No, I can't let myself be pressured by this onii-san . ' Yuuki turned around to look at his own master . 'As Ayase onee-san's Spirit-branded Retainer, I must win! I can't make her lose face in front of so many people!'

They entered the dueling arena and prepared to fight .

"Duel, start!" the judge said .

"Rahh!" Yuuki roared ferociously . His skin lit up with a crimson glow, and a vicious-looking demonic shadow with blood-red fur materialized behind him . This demonic shadow opened its huge maw, revealing two rows of dagger-like fangs!

Seiji's eyes twitched when he saw this . 'Hey, hey, you're going with your ultimate ability right off the bat?'

Supported by the demonic shadow behind him, Yuuki bounded towards Seiji and struck out with a vicious punch!

Seiji cast [Mana Barrier] on himself and dodged . Despite this, the demonically empowered fist grazed him lightly, and he was sent flying .

Yuuki stepped on the air and chased after him .

Seiji cast [Mana Barrier] on himself and dodged . Despite this, the demonically empowered fist grazed him lightly, and he was sent flying .

Yuuki stepped on the air and chased after him .

*Pound! Smack!! Boom!!!*

One punch, one kick, and a second kick—just three attacks were enough to shatter Seiji's barrier! The impact sent him hurtling upwards; he went so high that he passed through the barrier that blocked out the wind and snow, causing him to feel the chill of winter again .

'Not bad, little brat . '

When Seiji reached the apex of his flight, he reoriented his body and descended with the force of a meteor .

The little red-haired boy's expression was solemn as he waited for Seiji to come down . When Seiji saw Yuuki's grave face, a phrase suddenly popped into his mind, and he couldn't resist the urge to say it .

"Do you recall that there's a palm technique which descends from the skies?"

Yuuki's expression changed . 'I remember . That palm technique is . . . '

"Buddha's palm technique!"

Seiji cast his evolved form of [Telekinesis], materializing a huge golden palm! As he descended, the huge golden palm slammed down upon Yuuki with unbelievable force .

Yuuki was momentarily stunned at the sight, but he quickly regained his senses . He shouted loudly to steel his nerves and cast the powerful spell that he had been preparing .

[Demonic Rampage—Red Demon Form!]

His hands pushed out towards the sky and released the gigantic demon-spirit behind him in an explosive attack!

*Boom!!!*

The huge golden hand and red demon-spirit crashed into each other, and the spectators were deafened by a large noise resembling that of two trucks colliding head-on .

As a result of the two powerful forces' collision, the golden hand was… broken! The vicious demon-spirit broke through the golden hand and rushed towards Seiji .

'I won . . . ' Just as Yuuki was thinking this, he was astonished to see the reappearance of the huge golden hand!

Seiji struck a Buddha pose . "Buddha once said this: 'If one palm strike cannot take care of the problem, then use two palm strikes . '"