"Come forth—Darklord Desire!"
[Darklord Desire ATK 3000]
The Darklord Desire materialized on the field, its crimson wings spread wide. Clad in black and gold armor that hardly suited the word "angel," dark energy leaked from the armor, emanating an aura so intense it felt like it could crush even the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It was no exaggeration to call it the strongest fallen angel.
Jonouchi swallowed nervously, eyeing the nearly maxed-out star level above the fallen angel's head. "She managed to summon a monster that this powerful at the very last moment!"
"This is my trump card!" Rebecca pointed confidently at Darklord Desire, her eyes filled with the determination to turn the tide.
"And because I tribute Zolga, I activate Zolga's special effect!"
[When this card is used as a Tribute for a Tribute Summon, you recover 2000 Life Points.]
[Rebecca LP: 200 → 2200]
"She kept Mirror Wall, summoned a high-level monster, and even recovered the Life Points she paid," Hoshino said, watching Rebecca's impressive moves. "As expected of the American champion, she's not bad at all."
"Not bad?" Jonouchi chimed in. "The entire situation on the field has completely turned around in Rebecca's favor!"
Despite this, Hoshino remained calm, which made Rebecca's eyes sharpen even more.
"Don't forget, thanks to Mirror Wall, all of your monsters' attack points are halved!"
[Heroic Spirit - Rama ATK 1400]
Rama glanced at the crystal embedded in his sword and furrowed his brows. "This isn't good. I don't know what the principle is, but this thing is weakening my power."
"Now it's my turn to counterattack start the Battle Phase!"
"Ha!" Darklord Desire, sensing the signal to enter combat, spread its crimson wings wide, ready to strike.
"Target the Rama on the opponent's field! Attack, Darklord Desire!"
"—Fallen Strike!"
"Hold it!" Hoshino, calm and composed, slowly revealed her set card. "I activate my Trap Card [Nagging Shopkeeper]!"
[Nagging Shopkeeper Trap Card Effect: When a monster with [Heroic Spirit] in its name is targeted for an attack, you can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower monster from your Deck in Defense Position to take the attack instead. The summoned monster's DEF increases by 500.]
"Yes! That Trap Card is perfect!" Jonouchi exclaimed. "If Hoshino summons Mash, even a 3000 ATK Darklord Desire won't be able to break through!"
"Good thinking, Jonouchi." Hoshino smiled at her before turning his gaze back to the field. "But this time, I'll use a defensive strategy to go on the offense!"
"Due to the effect of Nagging Shopkeeper, I'll Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Heroic Spirit monster from my Deck in Defense Position to take the hit!"
Though Hoshino's deck-searching technique wasn't as flashy as Rebecca's, her speed was on par.
"The monster I'll Special Summon is…"
Hoshino slapped a card onto the field.
"[Heroic Spirit - Von Hohenheim Paracelsus]!"
"That's a long name!" Akasha groaned, feeling dizzy.
[Heroic Spirit - Von Hohenheim Paracelsus ★★★★ (Level 4)][DARK] [Spellcaster/Effect][ATK 1000 → 500/DEF 1600 → 2100]
Hohenheim, dressed in a white coat, calmly walked onto Hoshino's field. "I summoned at your call, Master. Now, feel the power of the Five Elements Mage."
"Hohenheim, I don't mind your calm demeanor, but I'd like to remind you…" Hoshino pointed to the Darklord charging toward her field. "The enemy is coming right for you~"
"!!!" Before Hohenheim could react, Darklord's black flash sliced through his frail form with ease.
"Master… you've tricked me!" Hohenheim left behind his final words before his pristine figure dissipated from the battlefield only seconds after arriving.
Rebecca snickered. "So, this monster that my Darklord Desire destroyed—was that what you call your defensive strategy?"
"Of course. Can't you feel it? The lingering glow of the Philosopher's Stone on the field?"
Mourning Hohenheim's quick demise for only a split second, Hoshino drew a new card. "I activate Hohenheim's special effect!"
[If this card is Summoned or Special Summoned, you can add one [Heroic Spirit] Spell Card from your Deck to your hand.]
"The card I'm adding to my hand is this!" A graceful, glowing ring of laurel leaves appeared at Hoshino's fingertips as she displayed the card.
"Ritual Spell [Ring of Bay Laurel]!"
Yugi's eyes widened as he saw the Ritual Spell that Hoshino had searched. "If she's adding a Ritual Spell now, that must mean she already has the Ritual Monster in her hand!"
"A Ritual Monster…" Jonouchi echoed. "Could it be that Old Man of the Mountain?"
The impact of Hassan's appearance during the Duelist Kingdom finals had left such a strong impression on Jonouchi that he still couldn't forget it.
"If he's planning to summon a Ritual Monster, it won't be that easy!" Having grasped Hoshino's strategy, Rebecca quickly pointed to her Darklord Desire.
"If you can't gather the necessary Tributes for the Ritual Summon, then even the strongest Ritual Monster is useless! I activate Darklord Desire's special effect!"
[Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; this card loses exactly 1000 ATK, and if it does, send that target to the Graveyard.]
[Darklord Desire ATK 3000 → 2000]
"It's not a destruction effect but a forced send to the Graveyard?" Yugi realized the danger. "In that case, no destruction effects can trigger, and no other effects can be activated in response."
"Exactly! That's the terror of my trump card! Go, Darklord!"
Dark energy gathered in Darklord's hands, forming a massive, razor-sharp black blade.
"—Fallen Slash!"
The sharp, dark blade slashed through Rama's body without any resistance.
"Ugh! Even I was careless…" His crimson pupils reflected slight shock as his body, cut by the dark blade, soon began to dissipate into golden particles.
"However, my will has been passed on. The rest is up to you."
[Heroic Spirit – Rama] Sent to the Graveyard.
"Now, your field is empty. Just sit there holding your Ritual Spell and Ritual Monster, staring blankly!"
Rebecca seemed very pleased with her comeback in a single turn. Not only had she cleared Hoshino's field, but she had also disrupted her strategy.
Yugi analyzed the situation seriously: "With Rama gone, if Hoshino's hand only has a Ritual Monster and a Ritual Magic card, unless the monster drawn next has a very high level, it's nearly impossible to meet the Ritual requirements."
Most Ritual Monsters, except for a few special ones, require high levels. After all, summoning a powerful monster requires paying the corresponding price, just like the principle of equivalent exchange in alchemy.
"You're right, Yugi!" Rebecca smiled happily at Yugi, having gained the upper hand. "This is the miracle of love that I created~!"
"Hahaha, the miracle of love?" Hoshino interrupted Rebecca's attempt to 'express her love,' unable to help but laugh.
"Watch carefully, Rebecca. Now my field will show you a real miracle created by 'love'!"
Anzu, who was shocked, trembled slightly. "I knew it, Hoshino likes Yugi too…"
"H-Hoshino?" Yugi's face briefly flashed with an awkward blush.
"Is that true, Hoshino?" Jonouchi could hardly believe it.
"Hoshino-nee finally found the courage to face love too! ⁄(⁄⁄•⁄⁄•⁄⁄)⁄" Akasha covered her face shyly.
"I already guessed it. You're finally admitting it!" Rebecca exclaimed, pointing excitedly at Hoshino.
"Hey, hey? Are you all misunderstanding something?" Realizing the strange atmosphere, Hoshino felt she had said something wrong.
Then, with a sigh, she rubbed her forehead. "The 'love' I'm talking about is…"
"With love!" a loud, energetic shout rang out.
[Heroic Spirit – Spartacus ★★★ (3 stars)][FIRE][Warrior/Effect][ATK 1500/DEF 1500] (I made a mistake when translating it Spartacus changed attributes from Earth to Fire when she upgraded him)
"—Carving out the path of rebellion with love!"
"Of course, I meant my beloved Spartacus!" Hoshino clarified loudly, pointing at Spartacus, who had revived due to his effect. "Did you all forget about his effect completely?"
[During your Standby Phase, if your opponent has more monsters than you, you can Special Summon this card from the Graveyard.]
"O-Oh, so that's what it was…" The three of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief for some reason.
"Enough with the jokes, it's my turn. Draw!"
Trying to break the awkward atmosphere, Hoshino quickly drew her card for the turn.
"Alright, this completes it! I'll activate my Ritual Spell from my hand!"
Jonouchi raised an eyebrow. "Have you gathered enough levels for the required sacrifices?"
Yugi added, "If you include Spartacus on the field, as long as it's not a Ritual Monster like the Old Man of the Mountain that needs 12 stars, you should be able to summon something."
"Impressive, as expected of Hoshino's soul card!"
Accompanied by the special effect of Ring of Bay Laurel swirling around her fingertips, Hoshino placed the card on the table, her lips curling into a smile as she looked at Rebecca.
"Rebecca, what do you think is most important between two people who love each other?"
Rebecca, caught off guard by the sudden question, looked surprised. "I-Isn't it… love?"
"You keep talking about love, Rebecca, but love is a very vague concept."
Shaking her head gently, Hoshino placed the card on her field, and countless beautiful flower petals began to scatter.
"What you and Yugi are missing is something essential for two people in love…"
"We're not missing anything!" Rebecca retorted, her face flustered.
"That's trust, Rebecca!" Hoshino said seriously, her gaze sharp. "From the beginning, you haven't been listening to what Yugi has been saying at all!"
"I… I haven't…" Rebecca, unable to argue, fell silent.
"Love means two different individuals trusting and supporting each other. Even if there are disagreements or quarrels, they don't give up on each other. Even if they're far apart, their hearts remain closely connected. Only those who have braved the toughest challenges together will eventually walk down the road lined with flowers!"
Spreading her hand open, a silver ring engraved with a laurel crown descended alongside the falling petals, gently slipping onto Hoshino's delicate ring finger.
"Now, behold to my Ritual spell! [Ring of Bay Laurel]!"
[Ring of Bay Laurel Ritual Spell Effect:" This card is required for the Ritual Summon of [Heroic Spirit –Nero Claudius-Bride]. ①: To Ritual Summon [Heroic Spirit – Nero Claudius-Bride] you must Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose combined levels equal or exceed the level of the Ritual Monster.]
"Per the Ritual Spell's requirements, I Tribute Martha (6 Stars) from my hand and Spartacus (3 Stars) from my field, for a total of 9 Stars!"
What's that engraving on the ring, you ask? Isn't it obvious?
"To have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part, swear that you will care for me for eternity!"
"Ritual Summon, come forth!" Hoshino solemnly placed the final card on the table.
The Rose Emperor, clad in a pristine white wedding dress, appeared gloriously amidst the sea of flowers.
"[Heroic Spirit – Nero Claudius-Bride]!"
"A bride?!" The three were once again shocked. "So does that mean the person Hoshino loves is a girl?"
[Heroic Spirit – Nero Claudius-Bride★★★★★★★★ (8 Stars)][LIGHT][Fairy/Ritual/Effect][ATK 2500/DEF 2000]
"Umu!"
It was still the familiar "Umu!" but in her new white attire, even Nero's "Umu!" seemed more confident.
"Stronger, more radiant, more dazzling!" The red blade of her original weapon, Aestus Estus, seemed to read the mood and automatically transformed into a silver blade that matched her white rose outfit.
"I am the number one citizen of Rome as well as the Rose Emperor, and those who accept me shall receive even greater blessings! Umu, accept me with all your heart!"
(*****)
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