"I activate the trap card [Metalmorph], equipping it to [Revolver Dragon]. Come forth, [Metal Revolver Dragon]!"
[Metalmorph Trap Card Effect: Target 1 face-up monster on the field; equip this card to that target. It gains 300 ATK/DEF. When it attacks, it gains ATK equal to half the ATK of the attack target during damage calculation only.]
[Revolver Dragon ATK:2600 → 2900]
[Metal Revolver Dragon], its silver gun barrels aimed at Heracles, roared, "Because [Heroic Spirit - Heracles] has 3300 ATK, I activate [Metalmorph]'s second effect. [Metal Revolver Dragon] gains half of your monster's ATK!"
A series of operations left Keith completely abandoning his thoughts of winning by cheating. "It's been so long since I've felt this exhilaration of a duel."
[Metal Revolver Dragon ATK:2900 → 4550]
"Sorry, Chiyuki Hoshino, but I'm taking this duel today!" Keith, as excited as if he were back in the American Championships before losing to Pegasus, declared his attack, "Attack, [Metal Revolver Dragon], with your unstoppable bullets, pierce that giant!"
"Bang bang bang~" The silver barrels erupted, and three bullets shot straight at Heracles.
The giant, pierced by the three rapid bullets, fell to one knee.
Chiyuki Hoshino LP:4000 → 2750
"Hahaha, the monster you worked so hard to summon was still defeated by my [Metal Revolver Dragon]!" Keith laughed as if he had already won, "Hoshino, no monsters, no cards in hand, you're at your wits' end! Your turn!"
Keith gestured to Hoshino with a smile.
"Keith, don't you realize something's wrong?" Hoshino drew a card casually, eyeing Keith with a mocking expression.
"Wrong?" Keith looked at the field in confusion, his smile freezing.
"Why isn't the destroyed monster gone?" Keith couldn't believe his eyes as Heracles, still kneeling, remained on the field.
"Who told you that you destroyed Heracles?" Hoshino thumbed towards Heracles' massive body, a mysterious smile on her lips.
The giant's body, initially pierced, was regenerating visibly. Low growls and waves of heat emanated from Heracles.
"This giant... is he reviving?" Jonouchi recalled Anzu's earlier words, "He completed the impossible twelve labors and gained an immortal body... is this for real?"
"Even if it can revive, what's the point? Its ATK can't surpass my [Metal Revolver Dragon]; it'll be defeated again!" Keith glanced at his set cards, still confident.
"Oh, really?"
"!!!??"
[Heracles ATK:5100]
"How can its ATK be higher after reviving!?" Keith pounded the table in disbelief, "Is this card invincible? Revival should have a cost!"
"I activate [Heroic Spirit - Heracles]'s special effect!" Hoshino, seeing the giant stand once more, revealed Heracles' final ability, "Granted both the 'blessing of the gods' and 'curse,' the Noble Phantasm representing his immortality. His body itself is a Noble Phantasm, named Twelve Labors [God Hand]!"
[Effect 2: If this card is destroyed by battle or a card effect and sent to the graveyard, you can remove half of this card's Valor Counters instead. This effect cannot be used if there is less than 1 Valor Counter on this card.]
"Of course, there's a cost to reviving, but it also brings greater strength! By removing half of the Valor Counters, Heracles' ATK increases by 1800, surpassing [Metal Revolver Dragon]!" Hoshino, empowered by Heracles' roar, declared, "This is a miracle that shakes the earth!"
"And I activate [Heroic Spirit - Heracles]'s first effect, removing one Valor Counter to destroy your [Metal Revolver Dragon]!" With Heracles' ATK now higher, Hoshino unleashed the giant's overwhelming might.
The black giant, with a body like steel, raised its battle axe and struck the ground. The massive axe, imbued with immense power, sank into the ground effortlessly, causing waves of rock to surge towards [Metal Revolver Dragon].
Unable to resist, [Metal Revolver Dragon] was engulfed by the waves of rock.
"Is this really something holographic equipment can produce?" Jonouchi gulped, feeling the scene was too realistic, as if experiencing a disaster firsthand.
"Heracles, with unparalleled strength, shakes the earth with pure might." Yugi marveled, not just at Heracles' powerful effects or its ATK surpassing even Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, but at the aura emanating from the card. "This is the power of the demigod."
"Partner, Hoshino surely hides a secret." The Pharaoh's voice echoed from the Millennium Puzzle, only Yugi could hear.
"Hoshino has a secret? You mean she can do more than just see card spirits?" Yugi, snapping out of his amazement, asked upon hearing the Pharaoh.
"Though I can't say for sure yet, I feel her secret is somewhat connected to the Millennium Puzzle." The Pharaoh's voice grew more serious, "Understanding Chiyuki Hoshino might help uncover the Puzzle's secrets."
[Heracles ATK:5400] [Valor Counters remaining: 4]
"Keith, your [Metal Revolver Dragon], which you used to try to destroy a legend, has ultimately been defeated by that very legend." Looking at the shattered remains of [Metal Revolver Dragon] scattered by the rock waves, Hoshino pointed her duel glove at Keith. "Those who seek victory through underhanded means will ultimately be consumed by those same means."
"You have no more turns left, Keith!" Hoshino coldly declared her intent to finish the duel. She felt a twinge of pity for Keith, who had been humiliated by Pegasus and resorted to vile methods for revenge, only to be defeated here, like a clown.
"Finish him, Heracles." Hoshino's calm tone lacked the usual excitement of victory, replaced by a smoldering anger towards Pegasus. Using the power of the Millennium Eye to mock duels and crush duelists' pride was disgraceful behavior for the father of Duel Monsters.
At Hoshino's command, Heracles roared and charged at Keith, brandishing his massive black iron axe.
"I haven't lost yet!!" Despite everything, Keith couldn't believe he hadn't given up. Facing the terrifying monster that could revive twice more, with only one set card on his field, he still held on.
"Am I really this desperate for victory?" Keith silently mocked himself as he stared at the charging black giant. "I've used every dirty trick to get here, seeking revenge on Pegasus and the prize money. Yet now, I want to win like a true duelist!"
"I'm not that naïve! Winning is all that matters!" Keith's sudden outburst seemed more directed at himself.
"I activate my last set card, [Blast with Chain]!" Keith glanced at his remaining cards. His eyes behind the sunglasses, typically full of cunning, turned serious. "If I can survive this turn, I have a chance to take down that monster!"
[Blast with Chain Trap Card Effect: When an opponent's monster declares an attack, target the attacking monster; destroy it.]
"This takes it down twice. With only two Valor Counters left, it should be easy to finish." Keith forced a smile, "I haven't lost yet!"
As Keith activated [Blast with Chain], the eerie armor materialized and clung to Heracles' massive body.
"Die again, you monster!" Keith roared, venting his pent-up frustration at the giant, "No one can stop my plans!"
The strange armor sparked and shone brightly, exploding violently and engulfing Heracles. Even Heracles couldn't withstand such a massive blast.
"Now it only has two Valor Counters left!" Keith, clutching his face and laughing maniacally, seemed to be losing his sanity. "No one can stop me from taking revenge on Pegasus and winning that prize money. I'm the bounty hunter, Bandit Keith!"
"No! You have no chance left!" Through the smoke, Hoshino's voice, tinged with amusement, reached Keith. "Though you're scum, in that last moment, your pursuit of victory was worthy of a duelist!"
"Even with your cheating, if you sincerely repent, the Lord might forgive you." A familiar, comforting voice came from within the smoke.
"So now, I'll send you to meet God!" As the smoke cleared, the figure of Martha, who had left earlier, appeared on the battlefield.
"Where's the giant? Your monster should have revived! How is it…?" Keith, terrified, watched Martha, who was preparing to fight.
"Confused, American champion?" Hoshino revealed her final set card, the last straw for Keith. "I activate the trap card, [Hero's Return]!"
"This card!" Jonouchi, surprised, remembered its effect from Hoshino's duel with Kaiba, "I remember this card's effect…"
[Hero's Return Trap Card Effect: When a monster with [Heroic Spirit] in its name is destroyed, target one [Heroic Spirit] monster in your graveyard and Special Summon it.]
"Monster… destroyed? You mean…?" Keith, wide-eyed, finally realized.
"That's right. I didn't choose to revive Heracles! Instead, I sent him to the graveyard to trigger [Returning Hero]'s effect! You thought you could survive this turn…" Hoshino pressed [Returning Hero] onto the table, declaring loudly, "But I never miss a chance to finish an opponent!"
Once a duel starts, one must strive for victory with all their might. If there's even a glimmer of hope, one must seize it. This was Chiyuki Hoshino's creed as a duelist.
"Keith, in the hell of defeat, repent for your despicable actions!" Hoshino pointed at Keith, looking at Martha with trust, "Boss, finish him off!"
Martha, ready and waiting, finally received the attack order from Hoshino. "That despicable man over there, even though you can't hear me, I'll tell you why you lost!"
"It's because you called me a small fry!" The physical form of Martha sprang into action, charging towards the panicked Keith. "The Lord says, today, you'll get three pages of MUDA!MUDA!!MUDA!!!"
A barrage of punches rained down on Keith, sending him flying off the duel platform. Though merely a holographic image, the force of the blows was undeniable.
"Boss, that was amazing! How did you do that?" Hoshino, awestruck, asked Martha, who had just delivered the final blows.
"Who knows, maybe he was just scared of me," Martha playfully stuck out her tongue, trying to deflect the question.
Keith Howard LP: 600 → 0
"Duel over. The winner is Chiyuki Hoshino!"