"Now that you mention it, the second singularity does indeed seem to have Altera appearing," Hoshino muttered to herself, looking at the SSR card of [Heroic Spirit - Altera] in her hand. "Today I must be exceptionally lucky; how many gold cards is this now? Could it be that I've stumbled upon the right way to do gacha?"
Including Nero and Li Shuwen, this was already Hoshino's third gold card of the day.
"And there's also one particularly special card..." Hoshino mused silently as she flipped through her deck. "Though it's not a gold card, it possesses great power, the legendary founder of Rome."
...
"Yugi, it seems my luck is really good today!" Mai Valentine's sudden laughter drew Hoshino's attention. "My Harpie's Pet Dragon gains effects based on the number of [Harpie] monsters I control!"
[Harpie's Pet Dragon ★★★★ (4 Stars) Wind] [Dragon/Effect][ATK:1200 DEF:600]
[Effect: This card gains the following effects depending on the number of [Harpie] monsters you control, excluding "Harpie's Pet Dragon."
● 1: While you control this face-up card, your opponent cannot select another [Harpie] monster you control as an attack target.
● 2: This card's original ATK and DEF are doubled.
● 3: Once per turn, you can destroy 1 card on your opponent's field.]
"But Mai, you only have one Harpie Lady on the field." The confident Yugi had already successfully summoned his ace monster, [Dark Magician]. "It's still no match for my, Dark Magician!"
Current Battle Situation:
Mai Kujaku LP 4000
[Harpie Lady ★★★★ (4 Stars) Wind] [Winged Beast] [ATK 1300 DEF 1400](Attack Position)
[Pet Dragon ATK 1200] (Attack Position)
Yugi Muto LP 4000
[Dark Magician ★★★★★★ (7 Stars) Dark] [Spellcaster] [ATK 2500 DEF 2100](Attack Position)
Two face-down cards
"Don't be so hasty, Yugi. Next, let me show you the true power of Harpie Lady~" With a flourish, Mai placed a card on the table, "I activate the Continuous Spell Card [Hysteric Sign]."
[Hysteric Sign Continuous Spell Effect: You can only use 1 "Hysteric Sign" effect per turn, and only once that turn. When this card is activated: Add 1 "Elegant Egotist" from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand. If this card is sent from the hand or field to the Graveyard: You can add up to 3 "Harpie" cards with different names from your Deck to your hand.]
"I activate the first effect, adding the Spell Card [Elegant Egotist] from my deck to my hand." With the added spell card in hand, Mai summoned another Harpie Lady monster, "Thanks to [Elegant Egotist], Harpie Lady assumes her most elegant form! I special summon [Harpie Lady Sisters] from my hand!"
[Harpie Lady Sisters ★★★★★★ (6 Stars) Wind] [Winged Beast/Effect][ATK 1950 DEF 2100]
[Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned with "Elegant Egotist."]
Three graceful Harpie sisters appeared on Mai's field through the holographic imaging system. Although they appeared as three monsters, they counted as one by the rules.
But one was enough. With two Harpie Lady monsters on the field, Mai triggered the additional effect of Harpie's Pet Dragon.
"Since I have two [Harpie] monsters on the field, [Harpie's Pet Dragon] gains ATK!" Mai confidently smiled as she touched the card of Pet Dragon on the field, "Pet Dragon's ATK and DEF are doubled!"
[Harpie's Pet Dragon ATK 1200→2400]
"It's useless, even so, it's still not stronger than my Dark Magician!" Yugi remained unperturbed as if Mai's tactics were all within his expectations.
"Yugi, let's see how long that smile lasts!" Mai, steadfast in her strategy, was not swayed by her opponent's strength. "I hope you can maintain your confidence after I play this card."
"From my hand, I activate the Spell Card [Triangle Ecstasy Spark]!"
[Triangle Ecstasy Spark Spell Effect: Until the End Phase, the ATK of all "Harpie Lady Sisters" becomes 2700, and your opponent cannot activate Trap Cards. Your opponent's Trap Cards and their effects are also negated.]
[Harpie Lady Sisters ATK1950→2700]
"This is my Harpie Lady Sisters' ultimate card!" As Mai activated the card, the Harpie Lady Sisters arranged themselves into a triangle, a massive spark of light gathering at the center. "Yugi, your set card [Mirror Force] can no longer be activated~"
The ATK of Harpie Lady Sisters surpassed Dark Magician, and the trap card Yugi relied on was sealed. The confident smile on Yugi's face finally vanished.
"Yugi, I like you better with this expression. Boys are more adorable when they're confused and thoughtful!" Mai commanded her monsters to attack, "Attack Dark Magician, Harpie Lady Sisters!"
The triangle of dazzling bodies released a burst of light, overwhelming the helpless Dark Magician.
[Dark Magician] destroyed
Yugi Muto LP 4000→3800
"It's not over yet, Yugi!" With Dark Magician defeated Mai launched an unimpeded attack, "Pet Dragon, Harpie Lady, direct attack!"
"Ugh!" The two fierce attacks hit Yugi, leaving him with minimal life points.
Yugi Muto LP 3800→1400
"He's in the red zone!" For some reason, despite Mai's overwhelming advantage on the field, Hoshino felt a sense of foreboding when she saw Yugi's remaining 1400 life points.
"Come on, Yugi, don't lose!" Unlike Hoshino, her friends didn't have the same strong intuition and believed Yugi was indeed close to defeat.
"It's your turn, Yugi~" Mai gestured for Yugi to take his turn, her smile radiant, "Show me what you can do with your life points on the line."
Fixating on his life points, Yugi's expression grew more serious. "In just two days, you've grown so much, Mai. You're like a different duelist compared to when you faced Hoshino."
"Heh, being praised by you, Yugi, I suppose I can afford to be a little proud." Mai accepted the compliment graciously, glancing at Hoshino and Jonouchi in the audience. "In this Duelist Kingdom where everyone pursues their dreams, everyone grows at an incredible rate. I, too, have my aspirations, and I can't afford to stand still."
"Mai, since you have such resolve, I have no worries!" Yugi's confident smile returned, "With that determination, even if you fail here, you'll rise again and challenge greater heights!"
"Yugi-kun, are you saying that as if you can win against me?" Mai Valentine was somewhat intimidated by Yugi's confidence.
"Yes, I will end this duel this turn. It's my turn, draw!" With a trusting gaze, Yugi looked at the card he had just drawn and immediately played it on the table. "I summon Kuriboh!"
[Kuriboh★ (1 star) DARK] [Fiend/Effect][ATK 300 DEF 200]
"What can such a weak monster do?" Mai scoffed at the Kuriboh Yugi summoned.
"This is one of the pieces of the puzzle leading to my victory! Then..." Yugi declared with energy, pulling out another card and holding it high. "Now, I shall call upon the name of the strongest warrior from the chaos!"
"The strongest warrior from the chaos?" Hoshino, who was watching, furrowed her brow, staring at Yugi standing tall on the stage, holding the card aloft. "Is this the aura of the Main Character?"
"I banish the LIGHT monster 'Queen's Knight' and the DARK monster 'Dark Magician' from the game!" Yugi shouted, and as he did, two beams of light, one black and one white, appeared and intertwined, condensing. "Special summon from my hand, Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning!"
"Combining the power of light and dark," Hoshino muttered, understanding the scene unfolding on the field.
"Come forth, the strongest warrior!" After the two beams of light converged, the strongest warrior appeared on the battlefield, clad in blue armor with gold trim.
[Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning★★★★★★★★ (8 stars) LIGHT] [Warrior/Effect][ATK 3000 DEF 2500]
"This monster has the same attack power as Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Jonouchi exclaimed, awed by Yugi's newly summoned monster.
"Even with 3000 attack power, you can't defeat me in one turn, Yugi. Aren't you overconfident?" Mai felt tense from the overwhelming presence of the Black Luster Soldier, but she believed in her strategy, thinking she could survive this turn and counterattack in the next.
"You won't get another turn, Mai!" Yugi slapped two more cards on the table, going all-in on the attack. "I activate the Equip Spell Card 'United We Stand' and the Quick-Play Spell Card 'Multiply!'"
"Equip 'United We Stand' to Black Luster Soldier. For each monster on my field, Black Luster Soldier gains 800 attack points!" Yugi grinned, "And because of 'Multiply,' my field is filled with Kuriboh tokens!"
[Multiply Tribute 1 face-up 'Kuriboh'; Special Summon as many 'Kuriboh Tokens' (Fiend-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK 300/DEF 200) as possible in Defense Position.]
"So Black Luster Soldier's attack power increases to... 7000!" With the field filled with Kuriboh tokens, the attack power of Black Luster Soldier soared.
"An attack power of 7000?!" Mai gasped, unable to believe what was happening.
"This power is terrifying," Anzu covered her mouth, shocked. The Black Luster Soldier's blade, now infused with the combined strength of all the Kuriboh tokens, gleamed with immense sharpness.
"This is the strongest slash that can cut through chaos and create a new world!" Yugi, grasping victory, confidently pointed forward and declared the attack. "Attack, Black Luster Soldier!"
The Black Luster Soldier, responding to Yugi's command, lunged forward with its sword, targeting 'Harpie's Pet Dragon.'
With an attack power of 2400, Harpie's Pet Dragon was no match for the 7000 attack power of Black Luster Soldier. With a single strike, the dragon was shattered and engulfed in chaos.
Mai Valentine LP 4000 → 0
"Just that one slash dealt 4600 damage to Mai?" Jonouchi, shocked, stared at Mai's now empty life points.
"And it doesn't end there, Jonouchi. Look at the stance of the Black Luster Soldier; it's clear the attack isn't over." Hoshino, equally astonished, observed the situation on the field closely. "That means the Black Luster Soldier must have a follow-up attack effect."
"Exactly, Hoshino!" Yugi, with arms crossed, confirmed Hoshino's guess. " Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning has an effect that allows it to attack again after destroying a monster!"
Continuing its attack, the Black Luster Soldier carved four large characters on the now vacant battlefield.
"So, I lost this thoroughly?" Mai Valentine, sighing in resignation, placed her cards down. "If you continued attacking, you would not only wipe out my Harpie Lady but also deal massive damage to my life points. There's no way I could withstand that attack. No wonder you were so confident you could end the duel this turn. You're really strong."
"Still as unfathomable as ever, Yugi..." After witnessing Yugi's incredible strength, Hoshino's feelings were complex. "The finals of the tournament... I will finally face the strongest duelist, huh?"
With that thought, Hoshino took out three cards she had kept in her other pocket, holding them before her eyes in silent prayer: "Da Vinci, Mash, Doctor! Please lend me your strength!"
"The second match of the final knockout round has concluded, with the winner being Yugi Mutou!" announced the elderly steward, confirming Yugi's advancement to the final match of the tournament.
"Wahhh, Chiyuki, your big sister lost~" Mai Valentine, putting on a mock crying face, ran off the stage and tightly hugged Hoshino. "I need the comfort of Chiyuki-chan right now!"
Initially surprised by the hug, Hoshino soon stood on her tiptoes, reaching out with her right hand to gently pat Mai's head. "There, there, don't cry. Big sister Mai did very well."
After enjoying the soft touch of Hoshino's body for a moment, Mai looked up, gripping Hoshino's shoulders firmly. "Chiyuki, you must win! Your big sister will always support you!"
Scratching her cheek, Hoshino didn't seem very confident. "I'll do my best, Mai, but honestly, my opponent is Yugi, and I haven't thought of any strategy to win yet."
"Chiyuki, you don't usually rely on strategies to play cards!" Mai said, knocking Hoshino on the head playfully. "Use your beast-like intuition in the duel; you might just surprise everyone!"
"Ow, that hurts!" Hoshino pouted, rubbing her head. "What do you mean by 'beast-like intuition'? I'm a proper young lady, after all. I can't rely on something like that."
"And besides, the time of playing by instinct is over," Hoshino continued, glancing at Yugi and then at Pegasus on the throne. "If I charge ahead without a plan, I can't beat those two."
"You've become quite mature, Chiyuki," Mai said, smiling warmly at Hoshino's determined expression.
"Don't get too nervous, Hoshino~" Jonouchi suddenly interjected. "To tell you the truth, I've dueled Yugi countless times."
"Really?" Hoshino looked skeptically at Jonouchi, who was bragging.
"Of course! I'm a man of my word; I wouldn't lie to a girl!" Jonouchi declared proudly, pointing his thumb at himself. "Every chance I get during breaks or lunch, I duel Yugi."
"I see..." Hoshino suddenly realized that Duel Monsters is a very popular game in this world, and dueling with friends at school is common. Her experiences had been so serious that she had misunderstood the casual nature of dueling here.
"So, I dare say I'm the one who understands Yugi's dueling style the best here," Jonouchi continued, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as if analyzing something, nodding repeatedly. "Yugi's dueling style is unpredictable! It's like he's a different person when dueling at school compared to when he's dueling in the Kingdom!"
"You're not helping, Jonouchi," Hoshino sighed, regretting having any expectations from him. Not to mention that the Yugi Jonouchi dueled at school might not be the same as the one in the Kingdom, making it normal for their styles to differ.
...
"The final match of the tournament is about to begin. Contestants, please take your positions!" After a short break, the elderly steward's voice once again pushed the tournament forward.
"Are you ready, Hoshino?" Yugi asked, still in control of his body, as the final round was about to begin.
"I've been preparing for this moment every day, Yugi," Hoshino replied with a smile, her eyes full of determination. For Hoshino, who had been aiming to win the championship from the start, Yugi was undoubtedly the strongest opponent.
As the two stepped onto the stage, their friends remained surprisingly silent, no one uttering a word.
"Please present your qualification cards!" The standard procedure followed.
"Glory of the Left Hand of the King!" both contestants said in unison.
"Qualification cards confirmed. The duel will now begin!"
"Yugi Mutou vs. Hoshino Chiyuki!"
Yugi Mutou LP: 4000
Hoshino Chiyuki LP: 4000
"Yugi Mutou will take the first move!"
"My turn, draw!" Yugi, taking the initiative, began his play. "First, I set a monster card in face-down defense position and set one card. That ends my turn!"
"Face-down defense position...?" Hoshino frowned at the unusual play. In previous duels, no opponent had ever set a monster this way; they usually played them openly, except for Hoshino herself, who occasionally used this tactic. "As expected of Yugi, he starts differently from everyone else."
"My turn, draw!" Hoshino drew a card and quickly reviewed her hand. "Since he set a monster in defense position, it must have high defense. I'll take an aggressive approach!"
"I special summon [Heroic Spirit - Lu Bu Fengxian] from my hand!" She placed the card on the table, initiating her first attack. "Lu Bu's special effect allows him to be special summoned if there are monsters on the opponent's field!"
[Heroic Spirit - Lu Bu Fengxian★★★★ (4 stars) Earth] [Warrior/Effect][ATK1600 DEF0]
A massive figure, like a Gundam, appeared on the battlefield, accompanied by holographic lights.
"Then I activate Lu Bu's special effect again!"
[Once per turn, you can pay 500 Life Points to increase this card's attack power by 1000 until the end of the turn.]
Hoshino Chiyuki LP 4000 → 3500
[Lu Bu ATK 1600 → 2600]
"A monster with 2600 attack points right from the first turn? Hoshino's attack is really strong!" Jonouchi couldn't help but sweat for Yugi, seeing the figure of Lu Bu on the field.
"Attack, Lu Bu!" Hoshino declared, pointing forward.
The massive Lu Bu raised his weapon high, taking just a step or two forward to reach Yugi's monster within his attack range.
" Hrraahhhhhh!" With a mighty roar, the weapon came crashing down on the covered monster.
"Reveal yourself, my set monster!" At the moment of the attack, Yugi flipped his face-down monster. "Big Shield Gardna!"
[Big Shield Gardna★★★★ Earth] [Warrior/Effect][ATK100 DEF2600]
[When this card is attacked, after the Damage Step, it changes to Attack Position.]
"Yugi's monster also has 2600 defense points!" Anzu exclaimed in surprise, looking at Yugi's revealed monster.
With both monsters having 2600 points, the clash created a fierce spark.
"The first turn is already such an evenly matched and intense confrontation! Hoshino-girl, Yugi-boy, I'm looking forward to this duel!"
(*****)
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