Page 357 of Light Leech

Swine’s Servant’s barrier dissolved. Seeing the health of our infants, I doubted either of us cared about each other’s player health.

Can I attack the infant itself?

“Not directly.”

I figured as much.

“He would have won by now if that had been true.”

Right. I should have thought about that from the beginning. Maybe I did? I guess it doesn’t matter.

“It does.”

Is there something I’m missing?

“There is something we are both missing. I can see into the game’s structure. It is possible, though I fail to see how.

Well then. Might as well try this. I tapped the Gamble deck. The card turned over and revealed itself.

The Curse of Neglect: All unprotected Lonesome Infants lose four health.

The infants cried out in harmony. Their voices were a haunting siren’s song.

Green infant: nine.

Red infant: three

Zeg, I should have protected it beforehand!

“This is true, but alas, you are closer to the end.”

I eyed my ability cards, seeing one called Double-Edged Ritual, a two-cost. I read the text beforehand, trying to focus on the patience I had dismissed before. I summoned a two-cost legend called Aquahorror that looked like one of the hellish ghosts I had seen swimming near Gong’s fetus back in Arabasia. Rather than suffer by staring at it any longer, I used Double-Edged Ritual, which forced me to eliminate one of my legends to kill one of RegLon’s. Aquahorror died with a bashree’s shriek which was then followed up by the howl of the armored Brulatist’s death.

“Why would you waste your time on that?” Zhu snorted. “That thing is nothing to me. You should have eliminated that mother!”

Just watch.

“What?”

If I can trust you, can you trust me?

He grumbled but did not argue.

I used my final lumen on a one-cost ability card. It wasn’t the ideal full protection, but it was the best I had.

Half-clothed: Lonesome Infant is protected from the damage that would follow the end of your turn.

Green infant: nine.

Red infant: two.

The Herbalist spawned three more pups. They all survived, though each of them lost an appendage by stepping into the lava before finding its footing. The Tanuki Squires evolved into Brutalists and the Pups from the last round became Squires.

RegLon only used one of his Brutalist to impregnate the Herbalist this turn. He played two ability cards.

Shell-ter: Target legend–or Lonesome Infant–gains a shell for until the end of your opponent’s next turn. Shell - prevent the first five damage done to target legend.

Healing Blessing: Target legend–or Lonesome Infant–gains three health.