[Heracles★★★★★★★★★ (9 stars) Earth Attribute, Warrior/Effect][ATK:3000 DEF:2800]
[Valor Counters] X12
"It's Heracles!" Anzu cheered excitedly from the sidelines.
"Hmph, you went through all that trouble to summon a monster with the same attack power as my Blue-Eyes White Dragon," Kaiba remarked, momentarily caught off guard by Heracles' appearance. However, he quickly regained his composure after noting the monster's stats. "I have four Blue-Eyes White Dragons, each with 3000 attack power. Let's see what your so-called ace can do against them."
"Heh, this isn't a weak opponent." Hoshino confidently held up her card, addressing Kaiba. "Heracles is my key to winning this match!"
"Go, it's time to unleash your power, Heracles!" Hoshino commanded, targeting Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon for the first attack.
"RRROOOOAAARRR!!"
Heracles roared, crouching down to gather strength before launching himself into the air with tremendous force.
"Such a massive body can move so nimbly?" Kaiba was taken aback by the sheer presence of Heracles, even as a holographic image. "Hoshino, are you trying to...?"
In mid-air, Heracles brought his massive axe down on Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, which responded by unleashing a surge of lightning around its body. Despite the lightning's destructive force, Heracles' axe cleaved through the dragon, slicing it in half.
"Hmph, you opted for mutual destruction in the end." Kaiba sneered at the scene of mutual defeat, though he felt a subtle relief.
"Oh? Mutual destruction? Kaiba, even someone as strong as you can dream, huh?" Hoshino pierced through Kaiba's psyche, "You just sighed in relief, didn't you, Kaiba?"
"This proves that deep down, you fear Heracles' terrifying power!" Hoshino pointed upwards, calling out to the legendary hero and his accompanying miracles, "This is Heracles' greatest miracle, Twelve Labors (God Hand)!"
[②: If this card would be destroyed by battle or a card effect, you can remove 1 [Valor Counters] counter from this card instead. This effect cannot be applied if this card has fewer than 1 [Valor Counters] counter.]
[Valor Counters] X6
"Nani?!" Kaiba watched in disbelief as Heracles' shattered body, resembling black alloy, rapidly regenerated. "What kind of monster is this? Is it a immortal?!"
"With each [Valor Counters] counter removed, Heracles' attack power increases by 300 points." Hoshino's confidence grew as Heracles' body restored itself. "So Heracles' attack power increases by 1800 points!"
[Heracles ATK 3000 → 4800]
"That's the power of a demigod! This is the true strength of the greatest Greek hero, Heracles," Hoshino confirmed Kaiba's suspicions. "Even the ultimate Blue-Eyes can't surpass the strongest demigod now!"
Revived, Heracles' attack power now exceeded that of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Even if Kaiba summoned it again, Heracles would crush it underfoot.
"Activate Heracles' effect again, remove a [Valor Counters] counter, and destroy a monster on the field with lower attack power!" Hoshino continued the onslaught, commanding Heracles, "Go, target Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Heracles concentrated all his power into his arms, throwing his giant axe like a massive steel boomerang, decapitating Blue-Eyes White Dragon before returning to his hand.
[Valor Counters] X5, [Heracles ATK 4800→ 5100]
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon has been defeated!" In just one turn, the previously one-sided battle was completely turned around. A monster capable of such feats could indeed be considered a demigod.
"Set one card face-down, turn end." Fully in control, Hoshino's tension eased as she looked at Heracles' broad back. "It's reassuring to stand behind Heracles."
"Interesting, legendary hero, huh?" However, Hoshino faced Kaiba, the duelist at the pinnacle of the world's dueling community. Within seconds, Kaiba regained his composure, his resolve even stronger. "My turn, draw!"
Without hesitation, Kaiba slapped a card onto the table. "Activate the Spell Card, [Polymerization]!"
"Fusion again? But Kaiba can't gather three Blue-Eyes White Dragons on the field now." Yami raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. "What will you do now, Kaiba?"
"Today, my Blue-Eyes White Dragon will surpass the gods!" Kaiba's powerful and distinctive voice overshadowed the roars of the war god and the white dragons. "I will perform a Fusion Summon using the two Blue-Eyes White Dragons on my field!"
"Two?!" Hoshino's heart raced as she watched the two Blue-Eyes White Dragons fuse together. "Can two Blue-Eyes White Dragons really be fused?"
"Watch closely, this is the first step to surpassing the gods!" With confidence, Kaiba summoned his new fusion monster, declaring, "Fusion Summon!", [Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon]!"
[Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon★★★★★★★★★ (10 stars) Light Attribute, Dragon/Fusion/Effect][ATK:3000 DEF:2800]
"Blue-Eyes? Twin Burst Dragon?" Hoshino furrowed her brow at the new monster. "But its attack power still can't surpass Heracles!"
"This is the new form Blue-Eyes achieved in response to my expectations!" Drawing another card from his hand, Kaiba pointed at Heracles. "And this new Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon will defeat the demi-god now!"
"Activate the Equip Spell Card, [Megamorph]!" Slamming the card onto the table, the already massive Twin Burst Dragon's body doubled in size, its aura growing exponentially. "Since my Life Points are lower, Megamorph's positive effect activates, doubling Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon's attack power!"
[Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon ATK 3000 → 6000]
"Attack power?!" Hoshino's eyes widened as she saw Twin Burst Dragon's attack power surpass Heracles'. She muttered, "Kaiba, you're a more terrifying monster than Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Heracles combined!"
"Go, Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon, attack Heracles!" Kaiba's attack declaration was as fierce as his opponent's, "Double destructive burst stream!"
The colossal dragon heads, now twice their usual size, unleashed an overwhelming energy blast at Heracles. Despite his alloy-like body, Heracles disintegrated under the intense white light.
Hoshino Chiyuki LP → 2600
"Activate Heracles' effect, revive..."
"It's futile!" Kaiba interrupted loudly, pointing at his Twin Burst Dragon. "Activate Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon's special effect!"
[①: If this card's attack does not destroy an opponent's monster, at the end of the Damage Step, you can banish that opponent's monster.]
"Banished Heracles cannot trigger his revival effect!" Kaiba's strategy was direct and brutal. If regular destruction would only make Heracles stronger upon revival, he would banish him outright. "This is the true power of Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon, which surpasses even god!"
"Kaiba really defeated Heracles." The terrifying sight made Yugi sweat slightly. "Kaiba, despite not understanding the heart of the cards, has once again elevated his power cards to a new level."
"Hoshino, being able to push me to this extent is commendable. If not for Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon, I would have lost." Kaiba, satisfied with his field, declared confidently, "But duels can be ruthless. You have no chance of beating me now."
"Turn end!"
"Hoshino..." The terrifying Twin Burst Dragon combined with Megamorph seemed unbeatable, leaving little hope for victory in the minds of her friends.
"I can do it, I haven't lost yet!" Hoshino forced a smile, sensing her friends' concern. Although the words were meant for her friends, they were also a reminder to herself. "If I give up now, the duel is truly over."
"I understand, Hoshino! That's Coach Anzai's advice!" Jounouchi, recalling the familiar words, responded excitedly, sweeping away his previous despair. "It's not time to give up yet!"
"Hmph, how boring." Although Kaiba's words were full of disdain, he didn't truly hate Hoshino's strong will. This was evident from his slight smirk. "Show me what you can do next, Hoshino."
Hoshino patted her face to invigorate herself and began her turn. "My turn, draw!"
After some thought, Hoshino placed a card on the table. "Activate the Spell Card, [Quantum Transfer]!"
[Quantum Transfer Spell Card Effect: You can activate this card once per turn. Special Summon 1 level 4 or lower [Heroic Spirit] monster from your deck, then shuffle your deck. You cannot Normal Summon or Special Summon monsters other than [Heroic Spirit] monsters during the turn you activate this card.]
Looking at the low-level Heroic Spirits in front of her, Hoshino quickly calculated in her mind. "Which one, which one can change the situation?"
"Hoshino!" Yugi called out from the sidelines, sensing her anxiety. "Even if no single card can change the current situation, you must believe in the bond between your cards."
"Yugi?" Hoshino looked down at Yugi, deep in thought. "The bond between cards..."
"Is that so? Thank you, Yugi!" The overwhelming power of Heracles had momentarily trapped Hoshino's thinking. But her cards couldn't be like Kaiba's, relying on a single monster for perfect suppression. "If one card can't do it, then we'll do it together!"
"I've decided on this one!" She slapped the chosen 4-star monster onto the field, already planning her next moves. "This time, it will work!"
"Special Summon, [Heroic Spirit – Marie Antoinette]!" Yes, this card was Hoshino's key to turning the tide.
"Activate Marie's special effect. When this card is summoned or special summoned, select one face-up monster on the field and change its battle position!" Hoshino pointed at the Twin Burst Dragon staring at her. "Sit down and behave!"
[Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon DEF:2500]
"I see, so Twin Burst Dragon's defense is not an unreachable 6000 anymore," Jounouchi exclaimed, seeing hope again.
"But Hoshino doesn't have any powerful monsters on the field." With a defense of 2500, although less significant compared to an attack of 6000, it was still higher than most monsters.
"Not done yet, activate the trap card, [Avalon of Radiant Path]!" Hoshino revealed the face-down card, pointing at Marie. "Marie, lead us to victory!"
"What a warm feeling, like being at home," Marie murmured as the sheath of the sword merged with her body.
"Is this a card we've never seen Hoshino use before?" Yugi analyzed with his arms crossed. "This duel is truly amazing. Both Kaiba and Hoshino are showing all their trump cards without reservation."
It was normal for Yugi and the others not to have seen it before, as Hoshino had only used this card in front of Mai. It was a key card in her duel against the Dark Duelist killer and essential for summoning the legendary King Arthur.
[Avalon of Radiant Path Continuous Trap Card Effect: Activate by targeting 1 face-up [Heroic Spirit] monster you control. During your Main Phase, you can Tribute that target and this card; Special Summon 1 [Heroic Spirit – Artoria Pendragon] from your hand or Deck.]
"Due to Avalon of Radiant Path's effect, Special Summon [Heroic Spirit – Artoria Pendragon] from the deck!" Placing the card of King Arthur on the table, Hoshino set the stage to defeat Twin Burst Dragon. "British Magic! Artoria, come forth!"
[Heroic Spirit – Artoria Pendragon★★★★★★★★ (8 stars) Light Attribute, Dragon/Effect ATK: ??? DEF: ???]
Bathed in light, Artoria appeared on the battlefield with steady steps.
"This is the legendary King Arthur," Anzu remarked, observing Artoria emerge from the light. "She looks so elegant, but there's a fierce determination in her eyes."
"But it's not over yet! Activate [Heroic Spirit – Marie Antoinette]'s effect again. When this card is sent to the graveyard, search your deck for a [Heroic Spirit] monster and add it to your hand!" This was the real reason Hoshino chose Marie to start the chain. If Artoria was essential to defeat Twin Burst Dragon, then this card was crucial to achieving victory.
"Add [Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc Alter] to my hand from the deck!" With the search complete, Hoshino slapped the card onto the table. "Banish [Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc] from the graveyard to Special Summon [Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc Alter] from my hand!"
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc Alter★★★★★★★★ (8 stars) Dark Attribute, Fiend/Effect][ATK:3000 DEF:2500]
[This card cannot be Normal Summoned. It can only be Special Summoned by banishing a [Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc] from your graveyard. This card is also treated as an [Fairy] monster. As long as this card is on the field, all Dragon-type monsters on your field gain 500 ATK.]
"It's ironic, isn't it? I, who once sought to destroy France, now appear with the help of the French queen," Jeanne Alter said with a meaningful smile. "But don't think for a second that my hatred will be appeased by this."
"Jeanne Alter, now isn't the time for arguments." Artoria, gripping her invisible sword, reminded Jeanne Alter.
"Ugh, this annoying feeling… It's the regular version of the cold-blooded girl," Jeanne Alter replied with a disdainful expression. "This overly righteous feeling makes me even more uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?" Artoria, holding her sacred sword, was slightly taken aback and then lowered her head, frowning in thought.
"Ahem, how about this…" Artoria cleared her throat and suddenly her expression turned stern. "Hey, you reckless girl, take this seriously!!"
"Wow, it's like Artoria Alter!" Hoshino, who had been silently watching, couldn't help but praise Artoria's imitation. "I guess it makes sense since they're the same person."
"Is that so, Master?" Artoria smiled, pleased with the compliment. "I've taken another step toward understanding people today."
"You guys must be kidding, right?" Jeanne Alter, looking at the two in disbelief, sighed. "Forget it, what's important isn't the cold-blooded girl…"
Looking at the Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon slowly changing from defense to attack position, Jeanne Alter's expression became complex. "Master, what kind of terrifying monster did you let me control? This is scarier than the legendary dragon Fafnir."
[Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can target 1 face-up Dragon-type monster your opponent controls; change that target's battle position.]
"Huh? Why? We just changed it to defense position with Marie, and now it's back to 6000 attack power?" Jounouchi, completely confused, kept asking questions.
"The purpose of summoning Marie wasn't to change Twin Burst Dragon's position. I just found its arrogance annoying." Hoshino's unexpected answer amused her as she watched the Twin Burst Dragon do squats. Of course, this was a joke. The real reason for summoning Marie was to search the deck for Jeanne Alter.
"Hmph, childish. Truly childish." Kaiba couldn't help but laugh at Hoshino's behavior. For him, anything that didn't lead to victory was meaningless.
"Childish or not, just watch till the end!" Hoshino waved her hand, her playful expression turning serious as she looked at Kaiba. "This turn, I will defeat your Twin Burst Dragon head-on."
"Go, Artoria, release the Invisible Air!" Hoshino commanded, targeting the transparent sword in Artoria's hand. "Activate Artoria's effect, banish [Avalon of Radiant Path] from the graveyard to add [Excalibur] from the deck to the hand."
"And then!" She slapped the searched Excalibur onto the table. The golden light pierced through the Invisible Air, glowing in Artoria's hand. "Activate the Equip Spell Card, [Excalibur]!"
[Excalibur Equip Spell Card Effect: Equip only to a [Heroic Spirit – Artoria Pendragon] monster. ①: The equipped monster's effects are negated. ②: The equipped monster gains ATK equal to the number of [Heroic Spirit] monsters on the field and in the graveyard × 500.]
"The legendary sword of King Arthur, so cool!" Anzu, mesmerized by the glowing golden light, murmured to herself.
"Since there are 4 [Heroic Spirit] monsters on the field and in the graveyard, Artoria's ATK increases by 2000 points due to Excalibur's effect!" Unfortunately, since Cu Chulainn and Heracles were banished, they couldn't contribute to the attack boost. "And with Jeanne Alter's effect, Dragon-type monsters on the field gain 500 ATK, making Artoria's final ATK!!"
[Heroic Spirit – Artoria Pendragon ATK 2000→ 4500]
"I see," Yugi, now understanding, calmly analyzed. "Because of that invisible barrier, we couldn't see King Arthur's stats before."
Swinging the golden Excalibur, Artoria's gaze sharpened. "It's time to claim victory."
"4500 points, huh? It matches Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, but it's still no match for the Twin Burst Dragon with Megamorph." Kaiba, confident behind the massive Twin Burst Dragon, showed no fear.
"An immense power, once turned against you, can have severe consequences." Hoshino, satisfied with the Excalibur in Artoria's hand, taunted Kaiba. "Your inflated Twin Burst Dragon is about to get popped."
"Inflated…?" Kaiba's composed expression twitched slightly at the jab.
"Activate [Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc Alter]'s special effect!" Hoshino's fingers lightly touched Jeanne Alter's card. "Take all the power you need from me, Jeanne."
"You said it, Master. I won't hold back." Jeanne Alter smiled wickedly, hearing Hoshino's words.
A being born from personal desires and fantasies, retaining great power due to its origin. However, as a life form, it can never be truly recognized, and will quietly slumber once everything ends.
"Just a fleeting illusion, yet you place such expectations on me. Master, you truly are a worthy villain."
[②: Once per turn, you can pay half your LP to activate this effect. Until the end of this turn, this card is unaffected by your opponent's card effects, and its ATK increases by the amount of LP paid. This effect can be activated during either player's turn.]
Hoshino Chiyuki LP 2600 → 1300
"Ugh?!" Despite being just a holographic image, Hoshino could feel her strength being drained by Jeanne Alter. "Hey, are you serious…"
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc Alter ATK 3000 → 4300]
"Now, gather all evil here!" Jeanne Alter drew her sword, pointing at the Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon. Dozens of dark swords surrounded the Twin Burst Dragon, ready to strike. "Taste my hatred and resentment!"
"So that's Hoshino's plan!" Yugi exclaimed, realizing her strategy.
"What's happening, Yugi? Jeanne Alter's attack increased a lot, but it's still not enough to beat Twin Burst Dragon," Jounouchi asked, still confused.
"Look at their Life Points, Jounouchi!"
Hoshino Chiyuki LP:1300
Seto Kaiba LP:1400
"!!!" Realizing the situation, Jounouchi shouted, "Hoshino's Life Points are lower than Kaiba's, which means Megamorph's negative effect activates, halving Twin Burst Dragon's attack!"
[Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon ATK 6000→ 1500]
"How about that, Kaiba? Your inflated Twin Burst Dragon has been popped!" Hoshino laughed, looking at the shrunken Twin Burst Dragon.
"Now, let's settle this!" Jeanne Alter and Artoria, both holding their swords, spoke in unison.
(*****)
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