"The monster I'm adding is—[Heroic Spirit – Cú Chulainn Alter]!"
"Cú Chulainn Alter?! Another new monster?" Yugi exclaimed, his eyes narrowing. He had encountered Heroic Spirits with the "Alter" suffix before, and without exception, these cards possessed extraordinary power.
"How many more secrets are hidden in your deck, Hoshino?" Yugi's wariness grew with each move she made. Only someone like her could summon a card and immediately shift the atmosphere of the duel.
After adding the blackhound to her hand, Hoshino drew another card and sent it to the graveyard. "Now, I activate the special effect of [Heroic Spirit - Cú Chulainn Alter] in my hand!"
[Heroic Spirit - Cú Chulainn Alter Effect: This card cannot be Set/Normal Summoned. You can Special Summon this card from your hand by sending a [Cú Chulainn] monster from your hand to the Graveyard.]
"I discard [Cú Chulainn (Caster)] from my hand to Special Summon [Heroic Spirit - Cú Chulainn Alter]!" With a commanding motion, Hoshino placed Cú Chulainn's card onto her Duel Disk, unleashing a surge of dark energy that coiled around her arm before plunging into the graveyard. The energy consumed both Cú Chulainn cards as it coursed through the field.
"Mad King Cú Chulainn shows the power that can ravage the land!"
Enshrouded in a torrent of black mist, the new Heroic Spirit emerged.
[Heroic Spirit - Cú Chulainn Alter ★★★★★★★★★ (9 stars)][DARK][Warrior/Effect][ATK 2800/DEF 2000]
Cú Chulainn, his armor transformed and appearance darkened, held a blackened spear that radiated an aura of malice. The intense killing intent in his eyes sent a shiver through Yugi's Dark Magician.
"Master, you are outrageous," Cú Chulainn Alter growled. His voice dripped with a mix of contempt and grudging respect. "But just this once, I'll go along with your antics."
"This isn't just a show—we're here to win!" Hoshino replied, her voice filled with determination.
Pointing toward Yugi's field, she commanded, "Time to attack! Strike the Dark Magician!"
The blackhound swiftly gathered mana into his spear. "That weak-bodied monster? Let's end this quickly!"
"—Curruid Coinchenn (Beast of Crunching Deathtusk)!!"
The spear, thrown with full force, shot across the field like a crimson missile.
"I won't let you break through so easily!" Yugi's cape billowed in the fierce wind generated by the spear, but he stood firm. "Activate face-down card—Trap Card, [Mirror Force]!"
A transparent shield materialized, covering the Dark Magician and blocking the deadly spear in its path.
"According to Mirror Force's effect, when your monster attacks, all face-up Attack Position monsters on your field are destroyed!"
"Heh heh~" Hoshino and Cú Chulainn Alter shared a wicked grin, perfectly in sync.
"Yugi, did you think I'd enter this duel without a plan to counter that card?"
"Could it be?!" Yugi's eyes widened as the shield began to crack.
Crack! The spear's impact splintered Mirror Force's shield, the sound echoing across the field as fractures spread outward.
"No shield can withstand the wrath of the Mad King! I activate [Heroic Spirit - Cú Chulainn Alter]'s special effect!"
[If this card would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can banish 1 [Cú Chulainn] monster or 2 [Heroic Spirit] monsters from your Graveyard instead.]
"So that's why you used Graceful Charity to send Cú Chulainn to the graveyard?" Yugi muttered, now understanding her strategy.
"I banish Cú Chulainn from my Graveyard. Now, nothing will stop your defeat! Go, Cú Alter—strike them down!"
As Mirror Force shattered completely, the unblocked Gáe Bolg pierced through the Dark Magician, leaving a blood-stained trail of red and black mana.
[Dark Magician] destroyed.
[Yugi & Kaiba LP: 4000 → 3700]
"I can't believe she defeated Yugi's ace monster so easily," Kaiba noted in astonishment, watching the scene unfold. Even his mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon had often fallen to Mirror Force, but in Hoshino's hands, the card seemed powerless and fragile.
"Yugi, if this is how you're different from the Duelist Kingdom, I'm going to be disappointed,"
After finishing her battle phase, Hoshino summoned another monster. "I banish Marie Antoinette from the Graveyard to Special Summon the monster in my hand—[Heroic Spirit - Marie Antoinette Alter] in 'Defense Position'!"
Black rose petals swirled in the air as the dark queen descended onto the field, her presence both regal and foreboding.
[Heroic Spirit - Marie Antoinette Alter ★★★★★★ (6 stars)][DARK][Spellcaster/Effect][ATK 1800/DEF 2000]
"Master, you've been such a naughty child," Marie Alter said with a bewitching smile. "After this battle, Marie will have to discipline you~"
"Hoshino-nee's monsters all seem so unfamiliar…" Akasha muttered, her voice tinged with unease. She had grown used to the colorful variety of Heroic Spirits Hoshino summoned, but the "Alter" versions seemed like entirely different entities. Pouting, she added, "Don't you think the bridal versions of these monsters were so much prettier?"
Cú Chulainn in a wedding dress? Now that would be odd…
"Activating Marie Alter's special effect—When Marie alter successfully special Summoned I send one [Heroic Spirit] monster from my deck to the Graveyard!" Strategically scanning her deck, Hoshino selected her next piece for the duel.
"Then I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."
Hoshino's Remaining Hand: 3 cards
"Heh heh, finally my turn." Kaiba chuckled confidently, casting a glance at Yugi, who was still processing everything that had happened.
"Surprised by these unfamiliar monsters, Yugi? This isn't like you at all…" Kaiba taunted.
Gathering his strength, Kaiba dramatically drew his next card. "My turn, draw! I'll make you regret challenging me, Hoshino! I won't hesitate to take your Evil God cards!"
"Over there! I see them!" Familiar voices and quick footsteps echoed from the distance.
"Slow down, Jonouchi, Honda!" Anzu panted heavily, struggling to keep pace with the two boys racing ahead of her.
"Jonouchi, Honda… and even Anzu!" Yugi turned to see his friends approaching, his expression complex.
"Huh?! Why are Yugi and Kaiba dueling Hoshino?!" Jonouchi shouted confusion etched across his face.
"Heh, the riffraff have arrived… Another mutt barking where it doesn't belong," Kaiba sneered, barely sparing Jonouchi a glance.
"This turn, I'll finish you, Hoshino!" Kaiba slammed a card onto his Duel Disk with enough force to make it tremble.
"I activate the Spell Card—[Polymerization]! I'm fusing the three [Blue-Eyes White Dragons] in my hand!"
Wow, Kaiba, talk about shameless—no one's worse about not shuffling than you!
"I'll fuse my three Blue-Eyes White Dragons in my hand to summon the ultimate emperor!"
Sending his Fusion card and three Blue-Eyes White Dragons to the Graveyard, the three dragon phantoms on Kaiba's field overlapped and merged into a fearsome entity.
"Kaiba, fusing your three Blue-Eyes White Dragons like that feels like outright cheating!" Hoshino couldn't help but complain as she witnessed Kaiba Fusion Summon Ultimate Dragon on his very first turn. Then again, it's his family business producing Duel Disks.
"Unstoppable! Unrivaled! The ultimate dragon! Behold my perfect Blue-Eyes!"
[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon ★★★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 12)][LIGHT][Dragon/Fusion][ATK 4500/DEF 3800]
With an earth-shaking roar, the three-headed Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, its 4500 ATK surpassing even Obelisk the Tormentor, descended onto Kaiba's field.
"Starting with Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon right away, huh?" Jonouchi, who had just been full of questions, was instantly awed by the dragon's presence.
"Wait—no way!!" Jonouchi exclaimed, his frustration mounting. "Are you two seriously ganging up on Hoshino?!"
The rare three-person Duel format, combined with Kaiba and Yugi seemingly allied against Hoshino on the opposite side, quickly caught Jonouchi's attention.
"Is that really what's happening?" Anzu, who had just arrived, glanced between the determined expressions of Yugi and Kaiba and the confident smirk on Hoshino's face as she stared down the Ultimate Dragon.
"Hey, you two, of all Duelists, teaming up to bully a girl?" Honda chimed in, scolding Kaiba and Yugi.
Girl? Jonouchi and Honda's accusations hung in the air. Were they talking about her—the same "girl" who had shattered Yugi's Mirror Force and obliterated his Dark Magician in one move?
"Attack now, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Target Hoshino's Marie Alter!" Kaiba ignored the accusations entirely, his focus locked on the duel. Even if it meant ganging up on her, Seto Kaiba wasn't one to hold back.
"Going after Marie in Defense Mode? Doesn't that waste Ultimate Dragon's high attack power?" Yugi asked, glancing at Kaiba in confusion.
"Have you been fooled by such a cheap trick, Yugi? If you can't stay focused, you'll just hold me back!" Kaiba shot back, his disdain cutting through the air.
"Tsk, he saw through it..." Hoshino clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"You say you're Special Summoning in Defense Mode, but Marie's clearly showing signs of a changing position—I wasn't going to fall for that," Kaiba said coldly. "I'm guessing Hoshino's field has some penalty effect that requires her monsters to remain in Attack Mode. Were you hoping to bait me into misdirecting my attack? Don't underestimate me."
[Cú Chulainn Alter's Effect: All face-up monsters on the field must switch to Attack Mode.]
[Marie Antoinette Alter ATK 1800]
"Don't expect me to hold back just because this is a tag duel. I, Seto Kaiba, approach everything with full force!" Kaiba waved his hand dramatically, and the three dragon heads merged their beams of white energy into a single blinding blast aimed at Marie Alter.
"Take it head-on—this world-ending attack! Ultimate Burst Stream!"
"It's just a little joke! Why so serious?" Scratching her head, Hoshino's expression was tinged with resignation. "If I let you destroy Marie, it'll be a real hassle for me."
She quickly activated her Trap Card, creating a mysterious barrier that deflected Ultimate Dragon's blast.
"Activate the Trap Card—[Mature Gentleman]!"
[Mature Gentleman Trap Effect: Target 1 [Heroic Spirit] monster on your field. This turn, that monster won't be destroyed by battle, and damage taken is halved.]
"Thanks to the Trap Card's effect, Marie won't be destroyed by Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and the 2700 battle damage is halved!"
Marie Alter pouted in protest, crossing her arms. "Hmph, did you think Marie would be grateful to you for that? It would have been better to use Sakuretsu Armor to destroy that monster outright!"
"Marie's sharp tongue strikes again," Hoshino muttered with a wry grin. "But watch carefully—I've got a plan."
The intense white light from the barrier still seared through, hitting Hoshino directly.
[Hoshino Chiyuki LP: 4000 → 2650]
"That hurts even with the damage halved?" Akasha muttered, watching the duel. Her voice carried a hint of envy. "Using three of the rarest cards in existence to pull off a fusion like that—such a rich guy move. You can practically feel the luxury! o(￣▽￣)ｄ"
"Hmph, did you think that was my last move?" Kaiba's confident smirk deepened as he placed another card on the field.
"Quick-Play Spell—[De-Fusion]! I'll de-fuse Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Special Summoning three Blue-Eyes White Dragons!"
Pointing to the sky, Kaiba's field lit up, and three Blue-Eyes White Dragons emerged, their roars shaking the battlefield.
"Under the relentless chain attacks of my invincible Blue Eyes, prepare to be obliterated!"
Jonouchi clenched his teeth in frustration. "Kaiba is serious this time! We need to stop this Duel!"
"Quiet, Jonouchi."
Hoshino's crimson eyes locked onto him, her sharp gaze silencing him instantly. Jonouchi, startled, took an involuntary step back.
Meanwhile, Kaiba encountered an unexpected obstacle. "Why... Why can't Blue-Eyes attack...?"
"Trying to launch multiple attacks while the Mad King stands on the field? That's disrespecting the king of single combat!" Hoshino said coolly.
Cú Chulainn Alter's Madness of the Spirits skill caused the mighty Blue Eyes to falter beneath his murderous gaze.
[Cú Chulainn Alter's Effect: While this card is face-up on the field, each player can only attack with one monster per Battle Phase.]
"Now, tremble before the Mad King!" Under the oppressive aura of the black hound, even the mighty White Dragons hesitated.
"Such overwhelming power, even my Blue Eyes hesitates..." Kaiba, his offensive strategy thwarted, smiled bitterly. "Who could command such terrifying monsters and still be called a girl?"
(*****)
If you'd like to read 25 chapters ahead, please consider joining my Patreon: patreon.com/ANeet. Your support means a lot. Thank you!