Hoshino shouted excitedly, "Gilga–"
"Do not dare to call the king by his name!"
"Golden Archer!"
"Insolent!"
Cú Chulainn scratched his head, sighing in mock defeat. "Seriously, it was supposed to be my moment just now, but that golden Archer stole all the spotlight."
"Whether it's darkness or light, they're merely forms of power," Gilgamesh proclaimed, his voice filled with absolute authority and pride. "As long as it is power, wield it without hesitation! That is the decree of a king."
The golden Archer's tone burned with confidence, emanating a majesty that made even the gods feel insignificant.
"Now, mongrel, show this so-called 'god' some real power!"
Seeing Hoshino pause, Kaiba raised an eyebrow, his tone sharp. "It's too late to hesitate now, Hoshino. Begin your turn and accept defeat!"
Hoshino smirked, her usual confidence returning. "Heh, calm down, Kaiba. I just need to prepare for something."
Before anyone could react, a gentle, heavenly voice drifted across the battlefield, its sweetness at odds with the tense atmosphere. "Please, don't forget about me~"
"I activate the special effect of [Heroic Spirit - Marie Antoinette] from the Graveyard, destroyed by Obelisk!"
[When this card is sent to the Graveyard, select one [Heroic Spirit] monster from your Deck or Graveyard and add it to your hand.]
"At this moment, the glory of France shall forever protect you~" Marie's blessing filled the battlefield like a magical charm, her sincerity radiating power.
"Ooh! Akasha is so jealous..." Akasha clapped her hands together in admiration, eyes sparkling.
"Akasha feels so much power, real and ancient heroic spirits that truly exist, and would give anything to protect Hoshino-nee!"
"Thanks to Marie's effect," Hoshino said, holding her head high as she reached for her deck. "I add this card to my hand—[Heroic Spirit – King of Heroes Gilgamesh]!"
The card glowed golden at her fingertips, its brilliance lighting up the field like a beacon of hope. Standing amidst the ruins like a warrior in the world's final hour, Hoshino's every move signaled the impending shift in the duel.
"King of Heroes?!" Yugi's voice tightened with seriousness as realization dawned.
"My turn, draw!" Adding the Gilgamesh card to her hand, Hoshino locked eyes with her opponents, her expression fierce.
"Kaiba, Yugi, this will be my final counterattack! I activate the Field Spell [Evenings by the Euphrates] from my hand!"
Sliding the card into the Duel Disk's field slot, the chaotic ruins beneath her began to dissolve, replaced by a serene riverbank. Gentle lights floated over the water, and the bright moon illuminated the night sky with a soothing, otherworldly glow.
—This fleeting moment is an irreplaceable golden time.
"Wow, it's beautiful!" Jonouchi and the others couldn't help but exclaim, their voices full of wonder. Just moments ago, the battlefield had resembled a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Now, it had transformed into a tranquil riverside. The sheer contrast was mesmerizing, like the harmony of a song that soothed the soul.
"I activate the special effect of [Evenings by the Euphrates]!"
[Evenings by the Euphrates Field Spell Effect: ①: Upon activation, select up to 3 [Heroic Spirit] monsters from your Graveyard with combined levels of 10 or less to Special Summon. Monsters summoned this way have their effects negated, and their ATK and DEF become 0.]
"I'll Special Summon Atalanta and Marie Antoinette from my Graveyard, with a combined level of 10, in effect-negated positions!"
"Hoshino now has three monsters on the field!" Jonouchi gasped. "Could she be planning to summon a God Card too?"
Perhaps seeing two God Cards summoned in succession had given Jonouchi the impression that everyone should have one. Well, in Hoshino's case, she actually had three.
"A God? No need for that. Now, I offer the souls of these three Heroic Spirits on my field and call upon the name of the King of Heroes!"
[Evenings by the Euphrates Field Spell Effect: ②: Discard 1 card from your hand. Offer monsters on your field until the combined level matches a [Heroic Spirit] Ritual Monster, then perform a Ritual Summon from your hand or Graveyard.]
"I discard Okita from my hand to activate the Ritual effect! I offer Cú Chulainn, Marie, and Atalanta on the field as sacrifices, with a combined level of 14 stars!"
Cú Chulainn chuckled, his voice filled with grit and pride. "Heh, backing up that annoying golden guy, huh? But still..." His lips curved into a mischievous grin. "As a Celtic warrior, failure is never an option!"
Beams of blue, green, and white light intertwined, blending with the starry night sky over the Euphrates. The radiant display was breathtaking, but Kaiba's sharp gaze remained locked on Hoshino.
"So, even now, you insist on futile resistance?" he scoffed. "You think you can match my power with your flimsy strength?"
"Kaiba, it doesn't matter if it's the power of darkness or light!" Hoshino shouted, her voice carrying across the transformed battlefield. "As long as I don't waver in my beliefs, I can wield even divine retribution in my hands!"
"Divine retribution!" Gilgamesh laughed from beyond the golden light. "Hahaha, this king approves! Now, mongrel, punish a god!"
Snap— The sound of Hoshino placing the Ritual card on her Duel Disk echoed like thunder. A golden light erupted from her Duel Disk, its brilliance overpowering the dark energy that had bound her bracelet, her deck, and even her heart.
"Ritual Summon! [Heroic Spirit – King of Heroes Gilgamesh]!"
Amidst the spreading light, Gilgamesh, clad in gleaming golden armor, descended from the starry heavens above the Euphrates. His presence was overwhelming, his sheer aura dwarfing even the gods standing against him.
"Mongrel, I will bear your darkness, I will forge your victory, and I will guard your future!" Gilgamesh's voice thundered, his regal tone brimming with authority.
With just his words, his overwhelming presence silenced even the colossal forms of Obelisk and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Rising above them, his form exuded an aura of dominance.
"As my possession, there's no reason to fear the curse brought on by a mere toy!"
Crack—
The Millennium Ring on Hoshino's back trembled violently before splitting in two, the crack running down its middle. Then, as if terrified of the king's presence, the ring disappeared entirely, vanishing from sight.
"Tch, it escaped." Floating midair, Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, his voice dropping into a mutter only he could hear.
[Heroic Spirit – King of Heroes Gilgamesh★★★★★★★★★★ (10 Stars)][EARTH][Warrior/Ritual/Effect][ATK ???/DEF ???]
[Can only be Ritual Summoned by using 3 [Heroic Spirit] monsters on your field with a combined level of 10 or more from your hand.]
"No displayed attack power?" Yugi observed, his expression a mix of curiosity and unease at the overwhelming energy radiating from the card.
"Who allowed you to look down on a king?" Gilgamesh snapped, his piercing gaze slicing through Obelisk and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon alike. Rising higher until he towered over them both, the golden king made his move.
"I activate Gilgamesh's special effect! Upon successful summoning, I send my Field Spell to the Graveyard and equip him with as many [Heroic Spirit] Equipment Spell cards from my Deck as possible, ignoring their equip conditions!"
"Behold, the power of a king!"
As Gilgamesh raised his arm, the dark night sky filled with countless treasures, each shimmering like stars in the heavens, illuminating the battlefield.
[Fou of the Sun] - Equip.
[Piercing Thorns Spear] - Equip.
[Hunter of the Red Plains] - Equip.
[O Sun, Abide by Death (Vasavi Shakti)] - Equip.
[Key of the King's Law] - Equip.
[This card's ATK and DEF increase by 1000 for each equipped card. This card cannot be affected by your opponent's monster effects as long as it has an equipped card.]
"Even though I can't activate the active effects of the equipped items, any passive effects they have will still be inherited by Gilgamesh!"
[Fou of the Sun ATK +500], [Piercing Thorns Spear ATK +300], [Hunter of the Red Plains ATK +400], [Key of the King's Law ATK +500]
[Gilgamesh ATK/DEF 6000]
"Lastly, with the effect of [O Sun, Abide by Death], the equipped monster's DEF is converted into its ATK!"
[Gilgamesh ATK 13300/DEF 0]
"An attack power surpassing ten thousand in an instant?!" Jonouchi's jaw dropped. "Even Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, the strongest monster on the field, doesn't even come close!"
The revelation was beyond anything Yugi had anticipated, and the sheer magnitude of Gilgamesh's strength left even Kaiba stunned.
"Roar—!" Perhaps sensing an existential threat, the Ultimate Dragon raised its three marked heads and let out a fierce roar, its blue eyes blazing with primal fury as it stared down Gilgamesh.
"To dare roar so disrespectfully at the King…" Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes in irritation, his voice cutting like steel. "It seems you are prepared to die!"
With a subtle flick of his wrist, three golden treasures materialized and arced through the air like streaks of light, striking each of the Ultimate Dragon's heads with crushing precision.
The dragon's roar transformed into a guttural cry of pain as its massive form shuddered. Despite its famed resilience, the invincible Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon seemed powerless against the King of Heroes' arsenal.
"Oh?" Gilgamesh's crimson eyes gleamed as he surveyed the damage. "It's surprisingly sturdy. Let's see how many more hits it can take!"
With no pity in his voice, Gilgamesh unleashed a storm of golden weapons from the Gate of Babylon. His treasures rained down mercilessly, overwhelming Kaiba's field in an onslaught of raw power.
"Activate [Gilgamesh]'s special effect!"
[During either player's Main Phase, you can send one equipped card on this card to the Graveyard to target and destroy one face-up card on your opponent's field.]
"I'll send the Equip Spells, Piercing Thorns Spear, and Hunter of the Red Plains to the Graveyard, destroying Obelisk the Tormentor, and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon on the field!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!" With a chilling laugh that echoed like thunder, Gilgamesh's rain of treasures obliterated Kaiba's two most powerful monsters.
The battlefield, once dominated by Kaiba's near-unstoppable forces, was left defenseless.
[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon] destroyed.
[Obelisk the Tormentor] destroyed.
[Gilgamesh ATK 13300 → 7800]
Akasha clasped her hands over her mouth, her voice trembling. "Such powerful monsters… wiped out so easily! This is terrifying!"
Jonouchi shook his head in disbelief. "Kaiba doesn't even have any monsters left to use as shields anymore! How did it come to this?"
With the field card destroyed upon Gilgamesh's summoning, the serene beauty of the Euphrates dissolved into the desolate wasteland from before. The scene, littered with shattered weapons and debris, looked like the aftermath of a cataclysmic war.
But it wasn't a battle—it was a massacre.
Snap! Hoshino raised her hand and snapped her fingers sharply, her expression calm yet commanding. "You're out of monsters now. Are you ready to accept defeat, Kaiba? Yugi?"
Whether intentional or not, Gilgamesh seemed to respond to her signal. The treasures floating in the air shifted, aligning themselves into a menacing array of golden blades, each aimed directly at Kaiba and Yugi.
"This is the final blow!" Entering the battle phase, Hoshino pointed forward, her voice ringing with finality. "Gilgamesh, finish this duel!"
Two golden swords launched from the Gate of Babylon, streaking toward the defenseless Kaiba and Yugi.
Kaiba, undeterred even in the face of imminent defeat, smirked. "The one who needs to prepare is you, Hoshino!"
Yugi, his voice firm and unwavering, followed immediately. "Activate the set Trap Card!"
"[Return from the Different Dimension]! X2!"
[Return from the Different Dimension Trap Card Effect: Pay half your LP; Special Summon as many of your banished monsters as possible. During the End Phase, banish all monsters that were Special Summoned by this effect.]
[Yugi & Kaiba LP 900 → 450]
The battlefield's space warped violently, and Kaiba wasted no time, swiftly placing three cards on his Duel Disk. "I'll Special Summon the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons that were banished by Dragon's Mirror!"
Amidst the chaos, Yugi added to the spectacle by summoning from his own banished zone. A familiar figure stepped forth, shrouded in darkness. "I'll Special Summon [Dark Magician of Chaos], banished by its own effect!"
[If this face-up card would leave the field, banish it instead.]
"And I'll activate Dark Magician of Chaos's effect, adding a Spell Card from the Graveyard to my hand upon its Special Summon!"
Without hesitation, Yugi retrieved the Spell from his Graveyard. "The card I'm adding to my hand is Monster Reborn!"
"Even now, you're still relying on Monster Reborn?" Hoshino frowned, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and awe.
Kaiba's fighting spirit reignited, blazing brighter than ever. "Hmph, this will be the ultimate counterattack from me and Yugi! I'll activate Obelisk the Tormentor's final effect from the Graveyard!"
[If this card is in the Graveyard and your opponent declares an attack, you can send a Monster Reborn from your hand to the Graveyard to activate this effect. Special Summon this card, then redirect the attack to this card.]
(Author's Note: This effect was indeed in the anime!)
(TL:This the actual author note.)
[Obelisk the Tormentor ATK 4000]
"Obelisk, turn their strength into nothingness! Effect activate!" Kaiba roared, sacrificing two of his Blue-Eyes White Dragons to boost Obelisk's power to infinite levels.
[Obelisk the Tormentor ATK 4000 → ∞]
"No matter how high your attack points are, they can't compete with infinity!" Kaiba's voice was filled with unshakable determination as Obelisk's glowing fist cracked the earth beneath it.
"Yugi and Kaiba truly aren't ones to back down…" Hoshino muttered, her head lowered. Her delicate face, obscured by her bangs, concealed her thoughts as the air grew heavy with anticipation.
"Disappear into oblivion before infinite power!" Kaiba bellowed, Obelisk's fist surging forward with earth-shattering momentum toward Gilgamesh.
Seeing the duel reach its crescendo, Jonouchi finally let out a breath, his long-suspended heart beginning to relax. "Even if she pushed Yugi and Kaiba this far, it looks like this is it for Hoshino… She's incredible, but this might be her limit."
Yet, the scene that followed sent a shockwave through everyone present.
Obelisk's attack, charged with infinite strength, stopped mid-swing.
Standing firm in its path was a serene yet unyielding figure. With nothing but her own strength, she had halted Obelisk's infinite counter.
"—O' Humans, Let Us Restrain the Gods."
(*****)
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