—Inside the Kaiba Manor—
"The interior of the Manor hides such facilities!" Hoshino exclaimed, surprised at the VR full-dive equipment that resembled space capsules.
"Of course, not to mention the absurdity of Kaiba having a Manor in the first place!" Hoshino said as she glanced around at the various Blue-Eyes White Dragon statues. It was more fitting to call this place the Blue-Eyes White Dragon Museum rather than Manor.
"But there are only four devices here, and we have so many people." After a rough count, Hoshino noted that since the VR game was based on Duel Monsters cards, they didn't need to include those without much dueling experience like Honda and Anzu. Including Mai and Mokuba, there were six people in total.
"I need to go in. I must rescue my brother with my own hands! Plus, I have a basic understanding of the game mechanics." Mokuba, who was the first to volunteer, might not be an experienced duelist, but having someone somewhat familiar with the game was better than going in blind.
"Then... maybe I shouldn't participate." Perhaps due to the fear from SAO and the fact that even Kaiba was trapped, Hoshino was already silently preparing to back out.
"You can't, Hoshino! You and Yugi are our strongest duelists. If this game's difficulty is so high that even my brother couldn't clear it, without you and Yugi working together, we won't stand a chance!" Mokuba pleaded urgently upon seeing Hoshino's hesitation.
"Yeah, Hoshino, let's give it our best shot together!" Yugi, standing beside Hoshino, struck an encouraging pose.
"Then, for the last slot..."
"Since Chiyuki is going, I'll go too." Mai, not willing to leave Hoshino alone, raised her hand to volunteer.
"No, let me do it..." But Mai's raised hand was forcibly pushed down by Jounouchi. "This is a dangerous game, so leave it to me!"
"I didn't expect you to be so brave at a time like this, Jounouchi~" Jounouchi's unexpected bravery earned praise from Anzu behind him.
"Think carefully, taking Jounouchi is almost a waste of a combat slot!" Mai, annoyed at being overridden, protested. "Can a novice like him handle such an important game?"
"Hey, I'm one of the top four in Duelist Kingdom!" Jounouchi, feeling insulted, retorted. "I'm no longer a novice, alright!"
"Oh? Is that so? The 'fourth place' who got there by luck?" Mai doubled down on her sarcasm, emphasizing "fourth place."
"Mai, I think it's more suitable for Jounouchi to go..."
"Oh, even Chiyuki doesn't want me to go. I'm so heartbroken~" Mai, looking disappointed, pouted at Hoshino.
"Ahem, because this is an RPG game. In RPGs, luck can be a decisive factor, and Jounouchi's luck might turn out to be crucial!" Hoshino understood deeply that in any game, the most terrifying thing was a lucky player. "Besides, I don't want to put Mai in such danger."
"Ugh..." Blushing slightly at Hoshino's persuasion, Mai scratched her cheek. "If you say so, Chiyuki, I won't object!"
"Jounouchi!" Mai gave Jounouchi a firm slap on the back. "You better protect Chiyuki well. If anything happens to her, I'll kill you!"
"Of course!" Jounouchi struck a powerful pose and gave a determined look.
"Let's get started then!" Seeing everyone was ready, Mokuba took a deep breath and opened the space capsule-like VR device.
"We just lie down in this?" Hoshino, exploring the device, lay down flat inside like a corpse. "This feels weird."
"Oh, right, make sure to place your deck in the card slot on your right-hand side," Mokuba reminded suddenly. "Otherwise, you'll be weaponless in the game."
"What!? You just said this detail now?!" Startled, Hoshino quickly took out her deck and inserted it into the slot on her right-hand side. "Are you sure you're a reliable guide?"
"Hehe, sorry about that." Mokuba scratched his head awkwardly. "Everything should be fine now. Close your eyes and get ready to start the game."
"Let's go!" X4(Link Start)
[Duel Monsters Adventure is launching, players logging in...]
A blurry interface and illusory lights appeared before Hoshino.
"This interface feels familiar." For some reason, Hoshino experienced a strange sense of déjà vu as she looked around the space. "I've seen this scene somewhere before..."
After a brief transition, they successfully entered the virtual game world.
"Wow, this is the virtual game world. It feels so real!" Jounouchi exclaimed, looking at the dense forest around them.
"And this Duel Disk..." Yugi noted, waving the device on his arm that looked just like the one Kaiba had used during their duel. It even had "LP" marked on it.
"Mokuba, in this game, do we just draw cards from the Duel Disk and summon monsters?" Yugi asked after examining the Duel Disk.
"That should be correct. I saw my brother use a card from the Duel Disk to summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon with the effect of [Ancient Rules]," Mokuba recalled, looking at his cards.
[Ancient Rules Spell Card Effect: Special Summon 1 Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from your hand.]
"If that's the case, the rules of this world might be the same as in duels. Just summon monsters using cards," Yugi, looking enlightened, seemed eager to try.
"But even Kaiba, who summoned Blue-Eyes White Dragon, failed. This game must be hard," Jounouchi remarked, catching the key point in Mokuba's words.
"After my brother summoned Blue-Eyes White Dragon, he was defeated by the opponent using [Dragon Capture Jar]," Mokuba, clearly frustrated by Kaiba being targeted, lowered his head.
However, Hoshino was not as calm as the others.
"Summoning monsters directly with cards for duels—this mode is just like last time with Nobunaga, and..."
"Why don't I have a Duel Disk?"
Sure enough, out of the four of them, Hoshino was the only one empty-handed.
"Why am I the only one without a Duel Disk?" Hoshino wondered, staring at her arm as if trying to will a Duel Disk to appear, but seeing nothing of the sort.
"What's going on, Hoshino?" Mokuba was equally panicked. If Hoshino couldn't fight, they'd lose a crucial part of their strength. "Maybe you put the deck in the wrong slot."
"No, I followed your instructions and placed it in the slot on the right side!" Hoshino, feeling wronged, looked helplessly at the others.
"That's strange. If you put it in, the deck should have been transported to this world." Mokuba scratched his head, equally puzzled.
"The deck is here..." Feeling embarrassed, Hoshino looked down and mumbled softly.
"If the deck is here, where is it?" Jounouchi, ever the blunt one, couldn't see any sign of a deck on Hoshino. "Did you tuck it into your pocket as usual?"
"..." Without answering, Hoshino helplessly lifted her skirt, revealing her pale thigh with the deck strapped to it.
"Why is it strapped to your leg?!" Hoshino had no idea how to react to seeing the deck securely fastened to her thigh. It seemed to be a game-setting issue because no matter what she did, she couldn't unstrap the belt holding the deck.
"This game knows people's hearts!"Jounouchi exclaimed, his face red as he couldn't help but compliment the game, even though it had trapped Kaiba.
"But how can you use the cards without a Duel Disk?" Despite having her deck, Hoshino was still very uncertain.
"Well, for now, let's just take it one step at a time. Those of us with Duel Disks will protect you, Hoshino!" Jounouchi, unusually enthusiastic, took the lead and headed deeper into the forest.
"Jounouchi, do you even know where you're going?" Yugi, reluctantly following, asked with a worried look.
"Yugi, you don't get it. In RPGs, just wandering around at the start usually triggers events!" Jounouchi, feeling confident, marched into the forest with exaggerated steps.
After just a few steps, a ferocious roar echoed from deep within the forest.
"What was that sound?" Hoshino, unarmed, was visibly panicked.
"It sounds like we disturbed a monster in the forest," Mokuba, frowning, analyzed cautiously. "It's all Jounouchi's fault for wandering off and triggering an unnecessary battle!"
"Hey, this is a plot-related battle that's unavoidable!" Jounouchi, defending himself, stood tall in front of Hoshino. "Hoshino, stay back. I'll handle this."
"You say you'll handle it, but do you even know how to fight?" Yugi shot a skeptical glance at Jounouchi, who was trying to look cool.
"Roar!!" As the roar grew closer, the sound of something massive moving through the trees became more pronounced. It was not a small creature.
[Giant Rat★★★★ (4-Star)][Earth][Beast/Effect][ATK1400/DEF1450]
A gigantic light blue rat emerged from the forest, glaring at the group menacingly.
"Why does a rat sound like a lion? This game has such logical settings!" Hoshino, backing away from the huge rat, muttered as she retreated further behind Jounouchi.
"It's just one monster. Watch me take it down!" Drawing a card from his deck, Jounouchi beamed. "Great, I drew my ace monster on the first draw!"
"I summon [Blue Flame Swordsman] in attack position!" Raising the card high, Jounouchi's Flame Swordsman card sparkled like a star before...
[Blue Flame Swordsman ★★★★ (4-Star)][Fire][Warrior/Effect][ATK1800/Def1600]
The physical manifestation of Blue Flame Swordsman, with its strong body, stood between the group and the Giant Rat.
"Yes, it summoned successfully!" Jounouchi, having no idea of the rules, somehow managed to summon a monster by fumbling through. Truly, he was a lucky player.
"Attack, Blue Flame Swordsman! Cut down that big rat!" Riding the wave of his success, Jounouchi gave the attack command. "Flame Sword Slash!"
Obeying the command, Blue Flame Swordsman rushed at the Giant Rat. The blue flames on his sword sliced through the rat's body like paper. The rat's pained screams echoed through the forest.
"Piece of cake!" Victorious, Jounouchi turned to Hoshino and made a V-sign. "With me around, no worries!"
"Something's not right, Jounouchi." Yugi, sensing something amiss, didn't lower his guard. "The forest... it's getting restless."
"How? Didn't we just defeat it?" Jounouchi, not doubting Yugi's sharp observation skills, knew it was Yugi's keen insight that had led them to find water in the Duelist Kingdom.
"I remember now, Jounouchi!" Realizing something, Yugi quickly drew cards from his deck. "Recall the effect of Giant Rat."
"Huh? Giant Rat's special effect, what was it again?" Jounouchi, holding his head in frustration, struggled to remember.
Understanding Yugi's hint, Mokuba answered quickly, "When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Earth monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Attack Position!"
"So that means..." Hoshino, realizing the gravity of the situation, looked around the agitated forest in horror. Hidden in the shadows of the trees were countless eyes gleaming eerily, surrounding them. "The forest is full of rats?"
"But the card effect says just one! Why are there so many?" Jounouchi, realizing he had messed up, tried to shift the blame.
"Probably a game modification for realism. Anyway..." Yugi, staying calm, raised the two cards he had just drawn.
"Sacrifice [Blue Flame Swordsman] to summon [Curse of Dragon] from my hand, then activate the spell card [Burning Land]!"
(*****)
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