"Be... Beowulf has fallen!" The reversal happened so suddenly that the commentator was momentarily lost for words. "Just a moment ago, it was Beowulf dominating the match, but Hoshino Chiyuki managed to turn the tables and deliver a counterattack with her swordsmanship!"
That's likely how the scene between Hoshino and Beowulf appeared to the average spectator.
"Incredible! In just one afternoon, the champion of the Desert City Colosseum's King's Gladiator Tournament has been crowned! And that champion is none other than our rising star, Hoshino Chiyuki!"
"Whoa!! This girl won, unbelievable!"
"Oh no, I'm a fan now! Even though I lost so much money!"
Strength is always the quickest way to prove a person's worth. After Hoshino claimed the championship, the faint voices of dissent in the audience were drowned out by thunderous applause.
"Hoshino won!" Though Jounouchi didn't know Hoshino's true motive, he was genuinely happy to see his friend emerge victorious.
"Now, we will bestow upon our new champion the highest honors, prize money, and the legendary Hero's Sword!"
"The legendary Hero's Sword?!" Yugi's eyebrows raised as he instantly sensed something. "Is that why Hoshino entered the tournament?"
"The legendary Hero's Sword—it sounds like an essential item to clear the game. Hoshino is amazing!" Even the genius Mokuba couldn't imagine that Hoshino's true goal was money.
"It's finally done~" As she watched the staff bring out the treasure chest, Hoshino's eyes practically turned into gold coins. "I thought I'd have to spend all day grinding monsters to get enough money, but I made it in one afternoon! Lucky~"
"Hoshino Chiyuki, please claim the honor that is rightfully yours." The commentator respectfully opened the treasure chest for Hoshino.
However, what lay inside the chest wasn't the pile of gold coins Hoshino had imagined.
There were only two cards. In such an ornate, majestic chest, there were just two tiny cards.
Just two cards, and they needed so many people to carry them? This showmanship is way over the top!
With an innocent expression, Hoshino tilted her head and looked at the commentator, her eyes saying, "You've got to be kidding me, right?"
But the commentator's serious demeanor made it seem like there was more to it, leaving Hoshino slightly perplexed.
Oh well, I've already won. If you dare to mess with me, I'll tear this whole coliseum down. With that thought in mind, Hoshino approached the chest.
However, this was the most prestigious coliseum in the Desert City, so they certainly wouldn't shortchange a champion who had won purely by merit. As Hoshino got closer to the chest, she finally realized why it wasn't filled with gold coins. Although the world's currency was measured in gold coins, it was represented as cards.
The two identical cards in the chest were both dazzling, shiny cards marked with 1000 gold coins each.
"Wow, UR!" Hoshino's pupils turned into gold coins again as she looked at the cards sparkling in her hand.
"Two cards, totaling 2000 gold coins. That crafty old woman's eyes will probably pop out of her head." As she thought about this, Hoshino held the cards up to her face and snickered quietly.
"Lily, I won't leave you in that cold store. Just wait, I'll come and get you out of there!"
"It seems that our champion, Hoshino Chiyuki, is very pleased with the wealth she earned through her skills!" The commentator, catching Hoshino's obvious grin behind the cards, couldn't help but laugh as well. "But this year's King's Gladiator Tournament is about more than just wealth—the Hero's Sword is the main event!"
"Hero's Sword! Hero's Sword!"
With the commentator's prompting, the crowd erupted into cheers again.
The sudden surge of excitement pulled Hoshino out of her financial reverie, making her realize, "I came for the prize money, but what exactly is this Hero's Sword? Judging by the reaction, it seems to be something incredible, like the prize money is just the secondary reward."
"And now! We invite the Mayor of the Desert City to present our young champion with the ultimate honor, the sword of legend passed down through generations!"
"They're going all out? Even the mayor is presenting the award? I hope they don't waste too much of my time." Growing impatient with the lengthy ceremony, Hoshino muttered quietly.
But when Hoshino saw who appeared on stage holding the sacred sword, she was completely stunned.
"Granny, what are you doing here?"
"Hehehe, young lady, you didn't disappoint this old woman~" The familiar laughter was the same, but the woman on stage no longer exuded the thick aura of a shrewd merchant. Instead, the sword's glow gave her a dignified and holy presence.
"No mayor I've heard of also moonlights as a card seller. Granny, your side hustle is pretty extensive." Shrugging her shoulders, Hoshino walked forward without the slightest respect for authority.
"Ahem, Hoshino Chiyuki, Lady Shurima has been serving as the mayor of the Desert City for fifty years, deeply loved by the people." The commentator cleared his throat twice, subtly hinting that Hoshino should show a little more respect.
"Hehehe, there's no need to be so serious~" The elderly woman, full of smiles, waved her frail arm.
"This old woman has always liked young people, especially talented young women like you, Hoshino. The moment I first saw you, I could sense the extraordinary power within you. And indeed, you didn't let this old woman down."
"Granny, so you charged me so much just to test my strength!" Touched by the elderly woman's praise, Hoshino happily said, "I knew it! You were planning to give me that Saber Lily card for free, right~"
"Not a single coin less."
"Ugh, shrewd as ever!"
"And now! It is time to bestow upon our champion the highest honor!" It should be said that as a figure of authority, the old woman's role-switching was both swift and flawless. One moment she had the air of a shrewd merchant, and the next, she was suddenly solemn and dignified.
"Take this Hero's Sword, young one!"
"Is this the Hero Sword? It doesn't seem that special." Hoshino, having received the Hero Sword, casually swung it a couple of times. "It doesn't even feel as good as Kojirou's katana!"
"Ahem, the Hero Sword is a mythical weapon that only the strongest warrior can wield. It symbolizes not only unparalleled strength but also immense responsibility!" Sensing that the quality of the sword hadn't impressed Hoshino, the old woman awkwardly cleared her throat and continued her explanation.
"The Desert Grand Empire, the centennial cycle of natural disasters, the chaos caused by the evil dragon, and the revival of the legendary Five Emperor Dragons. Each cycle of disaster brings devastation to the people, turning the world into a scene of hell." The old woman paused for a moment, secretly opening one squinting eye to catch Hoshino's reaction.
But Hoshino, who wasn't listening at all, flicked the blade with her finger, the crisp sound echoing in her ears. "This sword can't be a fake, right? It doesn't weigh like a real sword; it feels like plastic."
"The way to stop this disaster!!" Raising her voice by several decibels, the old woman tried to capture Hoshino's attention.
*Cough cough cough*
"Granny, no need to rush. Why are you shouting? I'm listening." Hoshino patted the old woman's back, who was coughing from straining her voice, speaking with a tone of genuine concern.
Shooting Hoshino a displeased glance, the old woman took a moment to collect herself before continuing. "There are two ways to stop the disaster. One is for the legendary hero to wield the Hero Sword and slay the evil dragon in the Dragon God's domain! The other is to offer a male and female sacrifice to the evil dragon."
"Offering just two sacrifices to avert such a serious disaster doesn't seem too difficult..." Hoshino thought. Arash dies twenty to thirty times a day just grinding, so being able to stop a once-in-a-century disaster with just two sacrifices is a steal!
"Hero, what are you talking about?" The old woman looked at Hoshino with disbelief. "Slaying the evil dragon is the hero's destiny. How could you let innocent lives be sacrificed in vain?"
"Hey, isn't the hero's life also a life? That thing called the Whatever Dragons sounds tough! Besides, I only entered the gladiatorial competition for the Saber Lily card. How did I suddenly become the Hero?" Faced with the old woman suddenly calling her "Hero," Hoshino's heart was full of resistance.
"Hoshino! Hoshino!" Meanwhile, Yugi and Mokuba were quietly calling out to Hoshino behind her, nearly jumping up and down in their urgency. "This is a main quest, the most important one at that! If you want to beat the game, just accept the mission already!"
"Main quest?!" Hoshino's ears perked up. Even though Yugi and Mokuba had kept their voices low to avoid disrupting the solemn atmosphere, Hoshino still caught their words.
"Oh! I almost forgot that I entered this virtual world to save Kaiba..." Scratching her head, Hoshino realized that she had nearly forgotten about the crucial task of saving Kaiba and beating the game because of the sudden appearance of the Lily card.
"Granny!" Suddenly becoming serious, Hoshino gripped the Hero Sword tightly with both hands. "I suddenly feel a strong sense of justice welling up inside me!"
"Oh! Hero Hoshino, have you finally found your resolve?" Although she didn't understand why Hoshino had a sudden change of heart, the old woman was thrilled. "As long as you, Hero Hoshino, are willing to exterminate the evil dragon, we in the Desert Capital will do everything in our power to assist you!"
"Then will you give me the Saber Lily card for free?"
"No, not a single gold coin less."
"Ugh, you're just like Da Vinci!"
----
"So, this is the all-out support from your Desert Capital?" Looking at the four camels in front of her, Hoshino couldn't hide her look of disdain.
"Hero Hoshino, don't underestimate the camels. If you want to cross the vast desert to reach the Dragon God's domain, camels, the ships of the desert, are essential." The old woman, with a kind smile, looked at the four fully prepared individuals with satisfaction. "I never expected that the legendary hero would have three reliable companions. This puts my mind at ease."
"Rest assured, Granny! We are the three protectors of Hero Hoshino! And I am known as Hoshino's right-hand man, Katsuya Jounouchi!" Flexing his arms confidently, Jounouchi boasted.
"Hehe, seeing such spirited young people makes this old lady feel a lot younger. By the way, let me share a piece of information with you. I'm not sure if it will help."
After examining their outfits, the old woman seemed to recall something. "A few days ago, an outsider with a similar outfit to yours, but with a very serious expression, also headed to the Dragon God's domain."
"Big brother, it must be big brother!" The moment Mokuba heard the words "serious expression," he became excited.
"It turns out Big Brother hasn't failed; he's still clearing the game his way. I knew Big Brother was the best!"
"So, Kaiba still has some fight left in him!" Learning that Kaiba was okay, Jounouchi also felt a sense of relief.
"Thank you for telling us this, Granny!" The polite Yugi bowed his head slightly in gratitude.
"Hehe, for an old woman like me to be able to provide even a little help to you young people is truly gratifying." The old woman, chuckling her familiar laugh again, glanced at the endless desert ahead. "Now hurry and depart. When night falls, the temperature in the desert will drop sharply, and that will be even more dangerous."
"All right, Granny, we're off!" Expertly mounting the camel, Hoshino, likely due to being in a game, managed to handle the camel's reins effortlessly despite having no riding skills.
"I'll bring you back some souvenirs from the Dragon God's domain!"
---
Even though they were traversing the desert, the camels provided by the Desert Capital were of the highest quality, their smooth gait making the ride surprisingly comfortable—a delightful experience with an exotic touch.
"I wonder where Beowulf went?" Leaning against the camel's hump, Hoshino recalled the gladiatorial match.
After losing to Hoshino in the match, Beowulf, who had been lying on the ground, slipped away unnoticed during the ceremony when Hoshino was awarded the Hero Sword.
"Is that guy one of the spirits in your deck, Hoshino?" Yugi recalled the display panel showing Beowulf's stats, noting that the prefix [Heroic Spirit] was indeed attached to his name.
"Yes, it's a shame though. If we could have gotten Beowulf's help, slaying the evil dragon would have been a piece of cake." Sighing, Hoshino regretted letting such a powerful ally slip through her fingers.
"Yeah, with his insane effect combined with the equipped card [Hrunting], I feel even the legendary Five Emperor Dragons wouldn't stand a chance against him." Jounouchi, also feeling it was a loss, nodded with his eyes closed.
It's said that after becoming king, the aged Beowulf dragged his elderly body into a life-and-death battle with a legendary dragon to protect his people. Although he perished from dragon poison after slaying the dragon, his achievements as a dragon slayer were widely celebrated. Now, summoning him in his prime, he could probably tear apart a few evil dragons as easily as eating a meal.
(*****)
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