However, Hoshino wasn't buying it. No way Marik would hand over something as powerful as the Winged Dragon of Ra to anyone, even if they were his right-hand man.
Still, before the duel kicked off, there was something she needed to clear up.
"Hey, Odion," she called, craning her neck to look up at the mountain of a man in front of her. Seriously, the guy was over 1.9 meters tall—her neck was already complaining. "I don't really get why you thanked me earlier, but can I ask you something in return?"
Odion didn't speak, just gave her a slow, deliberate nod.
"Do you know anything about Akasha's origins?" Hoshino's voice dropped as she studied his reaction. She needed to know if this seemingly loyal and quiet man had been involved in taking Akasha from Rowick.
Odion's massive frame stiffened, the question hitting him like a bolt of lightning. His long-held composure cracked ever so slightly.
"I don't know," he answered, his voice serious and steady.
"Oh? Really?" Hoshino wasn't entirely convinced. The answer felt too clean, too easy, but she couldn't figure out why he'd lie about something like this.
Unwilling to let it slide just yet, she pushed further. "You've been with Marik from the start, right? Ever since the Rare Hunters started collecting rare cards?"
"That's correct." Another short, direct response.
"In that case, you must recognize this card." Hoshino plucked a card from her deck, raising it high so Odion could see it clearly.
"That card!" Odion visibly flinched, his massive body trembling as his eyes locked onto the card.
"So you do know it—this Ramesseum card!" Hoshino's voice carried urgency now, her tone pressing him for answers.
"So it's fate…" Odion sighed heavily, his gaze lifting toward the ceiling. "The thousand-year curse of my family… it seems it cannot be escaped so easily."
"Hey!" Hoshino cut in, her patience thinning. "Answer me!"
Ding!
The elevator doors slid open, revealing the Sky Duel Arena.
Without another word, Odion stepped out, his long strides carrying him toward the platform. He glanced back over his shoulder. "Hoshino, if you want answers, defeat me in a duel."
"Fine by me!" Hoshino shot back, her face set with determination as she followed him into the open-air arena, the night sky stretching endlessly above them.
Resolving things through duels… it was such a convenient system in this world, Hoshino thought wryly.
The Sky Duel Arena, perched atop the airship cruising through the cold night sky, unfolded dramatically before them. The massive platform, illuminated by lights, stood ready for battle. Yugi and the others were already in the spectator area, having climbed up via the side staircase.
"Go for it, Hoshino-nee! It's just Odion-nii—you've got this!" Akasha's energetic cheer echoed from the stands, her confidence lighting up the chilly atmosphere.
Hoshino smirked, glancing at the stoic figure across from her. "Heh, looks like Akasha-chan's really underestimating you," she teased.
Odion, unbothered, extended his arm and calmly loaded his deck into his duel disk. "I'm just glad Akasha could be saved. After all… she doesn't belong to this world."
Hoshino's smile faded. "So, you're saying taking Akasha-chan wasn't your idea?"
"A crime from long ago can no longer be judged," Odion replied cryptically as his duel disk lit up, signaling he was ready. "Now, let's settle everything with this duel!"
Matching his intensity, Hoshino slid her deck into her duel disk with a satisfying click. The clash of their duel disks echoed in the cold night air.
Cold. Why did it have to be so cold? Dueling outside on a flying airship at night? Who thought this was a good idea?
"Achoo!" She sneezed loudly, her nose turning red from the chilly wind.
Rubbing her nose, she muttered, "If I'd known, I wouldn't have worn a skirt today. Seriously, whose genius idea was it to put a duel arena up in the sky?"
Down below, a black-clad staff member, stationed near the field, stepped forward and announced in a booming voice, "Now, for the first match of the Sky Duel Arena: Hoshino Chiyuki versus Odion! Let the duel begin!"
[Duel Start!]
Odion, taking the first turn, drew a card with a fluid motion. "I'll go first! I set two cards face down!"
Without hesitation, he activated the field zone on his duel disk.
"Then, I'll activate the Field Spell [Temple of the Kings]!"
With a low hum, the duel disk projected the field spell's holographic image, transforming the entire arena. A majestic, ancient Egyptian temple materialized, its towering Anubis statues casting long shadows under the lights.
"My turn ends." Odion lowered his duel disk, his hand still holding three remaining cards.
"No monsters? That guy must have a bad hand!" Jonouchi exclaimed from the stands, his excitement barely contained. "Hoshino, hit him while he's wide open!"
But Hoshino didn't see it that way. Her gut told her to stay cautious.
"No monsters, huh?" She muttered under her breath, narrowing her eyes at the two face-down cards on Odion's field. "This could get tricky."
Memories of a past duel with Rowick surfaced—where her opponent didn't summon a single monster, only to spring a devastating trap hole when she overconfident. Yeah, she wasn't falling for that again.
"Better play it smart. My turn! Draw!"
Hoshino pulled a card and slapped it onto her duel disk. "I summon [Heroic Spirit – Charles-Henri Sanson] in Attack Position!"
[Heroic Spirit – Charles-Henri Sanson ★★★ (3-star)][EARTH][Warrior/Effect][ATK 1100/DEF 1000]
From the holographic light, Sanson emerged, his long sword gleaming ominously. His voice, calm yet chilling, echoed across the platform. "Your time is up. Are you ready?"
"Battle phase! Sanson, attack Odion directly!" With no monsters on Odion's field, Hoshino wasted no time seizing the opportunity.
"Execution begins." Sanson dashed forward, his sword dragging against the ground with an eerie screech.
But just as the attack closed in, Odion flipped one of his face-down cards. "I activate the Trap Card [Metal Reflect Slime]!"
[Metal Reflect Slime Continuous Trap Effect: Special Summon this card in Defense Position as an Effect Monster (Aqua/WATER/Level 10/ATK 0/DEF 3000). This card cannot attack.]
In a flash, a massive, shimmering slime coated in metallic spikes appeared on Odion's field, standing tall in defense.
[Metal Reflect Slime ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)][WATER][Aqua/Token][ATK 0/DEF 3000]
"He summoned a monster with 3000 defense points!" Mokuba exclaimed, eyes wide. "Not even Blue-Eyes could break through that!"
Mai frowned, crossing her arms. "If she keeps attacking, she'll take a heavy hit to her Life Points."
Hoshino stared at the towering metallic slime, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, a sly grin crept across her face.
"Heh. Should I call this coincidence… or fate? Sanson, keep attacking!"
"What?!" Odion's eyes narrowed as Hoshino pressed on.
Sanson raised his blade, a deadly glint in his eye. "Death is Hope For Tomorrow (La Mort Espoir)."
In one swift motion, Sanson's blade sliced cleanly through the Metal Reflect Slime, shattering it into glittering particles.
"It's not about killing; it's about severing their crimes from their being," Sanson said solemnly, sheathing his blade.
[When this card attacks a Defense Position monster that was Special Summoned, it inflicts no battle damage and destroys the target directly.]
"So it just happened to counter that trap, huh?"
Odion didn't even flinch as his Metal Reflect Slime got sliced apart by Sanson, who had a measly 1100 attack points. His calm, stone-faced expression didn't waver.
"I'd heard your cards have all sorts of strange effects. Now I see it for myself," Odion said flatly.
Hoshino raised an eyebrow. Honestly, she hadn't expected that attack to work, but hey, she'd take it. "Looks like I've got a little bit of luck tonight. Maybe freezing out here isn't for nothing after all."
But Odion wasn't done. His voice turned sharp, and he slapped the activation button on his duel disk. "Don't think this gives you the upper hand! I activate my Trap Card!"
As if on cue, the remains of the Metal Reflect Slime that Sanson had just slashed began to move, its liquid metal body knitting itself back together.
"Continuous Trap Card—Tiki Soul!"
[Tiki Soul Continuous Trap Effect: Special Summon this card as an Effect Monster (Rock-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1800). (This card is also still a Trap Card.)…]
Jonouchi leaned forward in the stands, eyes wide. "Another one of those weird Trap Monsters! That explains why he didn't summon any regular monsters—they were all hiding as traps!"
Odion played the card horizontally into the Monster Zone. The hologram projected a giant, ominous stone statue holding a shield and sword, towering over the field.
[Tiki Soul ★★★★ (Level 4)][LIGHT][Rock][ATK 1000/DEF 1800]
Hoshino tilted her head. "Alright, I get the summoning part, but why's the Metal Reflect Slime putting itself back together?"
Odion gave a faint smile. "It's the special effect of Tiki Soul!"
The stone statue's glowing eyes flickered ominously as it activated its ability.
[While this card is an Effect Monster, if another Trap Card you control that is a monster would be destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to your Graveyard, you can Set it in the Spell & Trap Card Zone instead.]
"Ah, so you're saying Metal Reflect Slime wasn't really destroyed," Hoshino muttered, watching the slime reset itself in Odion's Spell & Trap Zone. "It's just... reloading?"
The previously shattered Metal Reflect Slime reappeared as a set card in Odion's back row, like nothing had ever happened.
Odion reset the trap and crossed his arms, his calm confidence radiating. "It's the power of my Trap Monsters working together. You can break through my defenses."
Hoshino smirked. "A Trap Monster combo, huh? That's a new one for me. I gotta admit, it's kinda cool."
"Cool or not," Odion said, his voice low and cold, "you'll find this battle won't be as easy as you think."
"Yeah? We'll see about that." Hoshino casually slipped two cards into her duel disk. "I set two cards and end my turn."
Hoshino's remaining hand cards: 3
Meanwhile, Akasha, munching on snacks in the stands, tilted her head. "Was Odion-nii's deck always this... trap-heavy?"
Back on the field, Odion's turn began. "Draw!"
Without missing a beat, he activated the Metal Reflect Slime he'd just reset. "I'll summon Metal Reflect Slime again!"
The giant metallic slime materialized back onto the field, its 3000 defense points looming like a fortress.
[Metal Reflect Slime ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)][WATER][Aqua/Token][ATK 0/DEF 3000]
But Odion wasn't done. "Next, I'll activate the Field Spell Temple of the Kings!"
[Temple of the Kings Field Effect: You can activate 1 Trap Card the turn it was Set.]
"This means I can activate traps the moment I set them! I activate the Continuous Trap Tiki Curse!"
[Tiki Curse Continuous Trap Effect: Special Summon this card as an Effect Monster (Rock-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1000). (This card is also still a Trap Card.)…]
In a burst of dark energy, a second statue emerged—a sinister figure holding two staffs.
[Tiki Curse ★★★★ (Level 4)][DARK][Rock][ATK 1800/DEF 1000]
Jonouchi groaned, scratching his head. "Another one of those Trap Monsters? How she supposed to get through all this?"
Yugi frowned, analyzing the board. "If Hoshino doesn't take out Tiki Soul first, the Trap Monsters will just keep coming back. And I bet that Tiki Curse has some effect we haven't seen yet."
Odion raised his hand dramatically. "Now, I'll tribute Metal Reflect Slime for a Tribute Summon!"
The giant metallic slime dissolved into light, vanishing from the field as Odion brought out his next move. "I summon Mystical Beast of Serket!"
[Mystical Beast of Serket ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][EARTH][Fairy/Effect][ATK 2500/DEF 2000]
A massive red scorpion materialized, its blood-red carapace glinting under the arena lights.
Hoshino grimaced at the sight of the monstrous creature. "Seriously, this thing's a Fairy? I mean, come on—how's that not a Zombie? Calling it a Fairy feels like an insult to cute little fairies everywhere."
"Serket, attack!" Odion commanded, pointing at Sanson.
The scorpion lunged, its fangs dripping with venom. In one swift move, it swallowed Sanson whole, leaving only shattered light in its wake.
[Sanson] banished.
[Hoshino Chiyuki's LP 4000 → 2600]
Hoshino winced—not from the Life Point hit but from the downright brutal animation. Blood and bits of Sanson scattered everywhere as the scorpion chewed its prey. "What the heck? That's to graphic?"
Odion smirked. "I activate Mystical Beast of Serket's effect!"
[Banish any monster destroyed by battle with this card. If this card destroys a monster by battle: It gains 500 ATK.]
As Sanson's remains disappeared, Serket started to change, its form evolving into something more humanoid and terrifying.
[Mystical Beast of Serket's ATK 2500 → 3000]
Kaiba scowled from the stands. "A Level 6 monster that can match the attack power of a Blue-Eyes and just keeps getting stronger? Hmph. Interesting."
"You're out of monsters now!" Odion declared. "Tiki Curse, direct attack!"
The sinister statue raised its twin staffs and charged at Hoshino.
But Hoshino wasn't fazed. "Who said I'm out of monsters?"
"You dare treat Sanson like that? Oh, I'm mad. Really mad."
A flash of crystalline light erupted from the night sky, and with a fierce cry, a warhorse appeared, galloping straight into the Tiki Curse, shattering it and itself in the process.
"Glory to the Crown of Lilies(Guillotine Breaker)!"
(*****)
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