"It's really you, Jonouchi!" Confirming her suspicions, Hoshino felt an inexplicable wave of relief wash over her, despite the chaos surrounding them.
"So why do you look so... mature? Or old?" she asked, squinting as she scrutinized the man before her, struggling to find a less awkward way to phrase it.
With a confident pose, Jonouchi deliberately lowered his voice, attempting to sound suave. "What's wrong, little girl? Smitten by the charm of the world's top duelist, Katsuya Jonouchi? Sorry to break it to you, but I've already got a girlfriend. Try not to be too heartbroken."
"Wait, you have a girlfriend? Since when?" The revelation hit Hoshino like a bolt out of the blue, leaving her montarily speechless.
But then a thought struck her, and her expression shifted to a frown. "Wait a second. Why are you calling 'little girl'? Don't you recognize ?"
Jonouchi scratched his head, now the one looking puzzled. "Now that you ntion it, you do look kind of familiar. Have we t before, little girl?"
"Stop calling 'little girl'! It's weird!" Hoshino huffed, pointing at herself. "It's ! Hoshino! Hoshino Chiyuki!"
The outdated duel disk, Jonouchi's unexpectedly mature appearance, and the slightly unfamiliar yet vaguely nostalgic environnt all clicked into place in Hoshino's mind. She must have traveled in the future.
Da Vinci, you've betrayed !
Jonouchi blinked, her words sinking in. "Wait, you're saying you're Hoshino Chiyuki? Well... now that I look closely, I guess you kind of look like her..."
"Kind of? What do you an, kind of? I am her!" Hoshino shot back, her glare sharp enough to pierce.
Jonouchi rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his gaze wandering—then stopping sowhere it definitely shouldn't have. "Well, you seem... smaller than I rember."
Hoshino's face turned bright red. Her teeth clenched, and she launched a swift kick to his shin.
"Ow!" Jonouchi stumbled back, clutching his leg.
.
..
...
"So, you're from the past. That explains the outdated duel disk and, uh, your... smaller fra," Jonouchi said after Hoshino reluctantly explained her situation.
Thankfully, his easy-going nature made him surprisingly quick to accept the bizarre truth. Most people would've struggled to believe sothing as outlandish as ti travel.
"I'm not smaller! Stop adding unnecessary comnts!"
From Jonouchi's account, Hoshino learned she had arrived ten years after the Battle City tournant.
"At first, I was wondering why you weren't at Duel Academy right now. Guess it makes sense now—you're not the Hoshino from this ti!" Jonouchi said, looking pleased with his deduction. The cool façade he'd tried to maintain earlier had completely crumbled.
"Duel Academy? What kind of academy is that?" Alard, Hoshino leaned closer. "Are you telling that ten years in the future, I'm stuck in school? That's such a depressing life!"
(I, Hoshino Chiyuki, hate two things: school and work!)
The thought of spending her future tied to a mundane institution felt like the cruelest betrayal—her dreams and ambitions reduced to nothing.
Seeing the familiar look of despair cross her face, Jonouchi scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Heh, a lot happened in between, but it wasn't all bad. At least... not until recently."
His gaze shifted toward the destruction around them—the fleeing crowds, the smoldering wreckage. His expression turned grim, a seriousness born of years of growth and hardship.
"So, what's going on?" Hoshino asked, her tone matching his. "Why are monsters going berserk and destroying everything? Don't tell this is so new shenanigans of Kaiba's."
Her first thought was of Seto Kaiba, the eccentric, science-obsessed inventor of the duel system. If anyone could push the limits of technology to dangerous extres, it was him.
Jonouchi shook his head firmly. "Kaiba may be a pain to deal with, but he'd never resort to sothing like this. This isn't just happening in Domino City—it's a global disaster. Cities all over the world are facing destruction because of Duel Monsters coming to life."
Even after all these years, Jonouchi's animosity toward Kaiba hadn't faded. But he also knew Kaiba's character well enough to understand this went beyond even his eccentricities.
"The Kaiba Corporation and Duel Academy must be working themselves to the bone trying to manage the crisis," Jonouchi added.
"Wait, what exactly is this 'Academy' you keep ntioning? Isn't it just a regular school?" Hoshino asked, growing more confused.
"That's a long story—"
"ROOOAAAARRR!"
A deafening roar interrupted him, followed by a blinding flash of white light. Hoshino turned in ti to see the familiar figure of Red-Eyes Black Dragon dissolve into nothingness.
"That roar...?" Hoshino's heart sank as she turned toward the source. Her expression darkened. "Jonouchi, I'll ask you again: Are you sure Kaiba has nothing to do with this?"
Before them stood a massive Duel Monster, its form unmistakably that of Blue-Eyes White Dragon. But this wasn't the Blue-Eyes Hoshino rembered—it had a half-blackened face and wings, an aura of corruption surrounding it.
"Damn it, it found us!" Jonouchi cursed, his voice sharp with urgency. "That's Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Malefic? What kind of monster is that?" Hoshino asked, her sharp eyes studying the corrupted version of Kaiba's iconic dragon.
"This thing's no joke. My temporary deck doesn't have anything strong monster enough to beat it. For now, we need to run!" Jonouchi grabbed Hoshino's wrist, pulling her with him as he broke into a sprint.
But her shorter legs struggled to keep up, and she was practically dragged along. The thunderous roars of the Malefic Blue-Eyes grew louder behind them, filling her with frustration and helplessness.
To think I'd be hunted by Blue-Eyes White Dragon—the very monster I once used as a benchmark for strength.
...
"Wait, this isn't right! Why am I running from a Duel Monster? I'm the Duel King, for crying out loud!" Digging in her heels, Hoshino yanked her wrist free and skidded to a stop.
"It's just a monster! Jonouchi, give your duel disk, and I'll take care of it!" she declared.
"You're being reckless, Master," a lively, cheerful voice interjected suddenly.
"Summoning a Heroic Spirit across ti requires imnse energy. Right now, you wouldn't be able to pull it off," the voice explained calmly. She stepped forward, her confidence unwavering.
"But for a Heroic Spirit who can travel through ti and space on her own? That's another story!"
With dazzling skill, Musashi charged toward the Malefic Blue-Eyes, her blades slicing through the air.
"I'll show you the true essence of the Five Rings!"
"—Six Realms Five Rings: The Divine Figure of Kurikara!"
Hoshino was caught completely off guard by the sudden appearance of her unexpected guest.
"Musashi-chan?!"
It was Musashi Miyamoto—the Heroic Spirit of Chaldea, a legendary figure known for her unique ability to traverse ti and space without the need for spirit particle transfer.
"It's been a while, Master. Did you miss ? But catching up will have to wait for now!"
Standing firm in her dual-sword stance, Musashi unleashed a wave of energy from her swords, countering the Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon's advance with overwhelming force.
"Daijou-ten!" she declared, her voice ringing clear. Her powerful slash shattered the dragon's montum.
The imnse presence of Niō erged behind her—a towering manifestation wielding four swords, its colossal size rivaling that of the Malefic Blue-Eyes. Its ferocious visage exuded an aura of divine power.
"Namu, Tenman Daijizai Tenjin! Niō Kurikara! Shoutenshou!"
The Niō's swords, representing "Earth," "Water," "Fire," and "Wind," struck the Malefic Blue-Eyes in succession. Each blow exploded magnificently upon the massive dragon's body, forcing it to stagger and crash into the ground. A massive crater ford where it fell.
The clash lasted only an instant, but its effects far surpassed the virtual imagery of Duel Monsters.
"Co hither, my roaring sword, now unsheathed!" Following the chaotic flurry of the Niō's strikes, Musashi gathered her sword energy into a single glowing blade. With a leap, she ascended high into the air, her silhouette frad against the blazing backdrop of the city.
"—Ishana, Daitenshou!!"
With an earth-shaking impact, her blade's radiant energy cleaved through the dragon and the street below. The Malefic Blue-Eyes let out an agonized scream as the light engulfed it, carving a massive rift into the already devastated street. When the light faded, the dragon was no more, vanquished by Musashi's strike.
Hoshino, still processing the scene, stared at the battlefield. Unlike a normal Duel Monster battle, where damage would fade once the duel concluded, the destruction here was real and permanent. The crater and scars left behind were undeniable proof of the clash's impact.
"So… this really isn't just so virtual projection," she murmured, the weight of the situation settling on her.
"That's right, Master," Musashi said, resting her sword casually on her shoulder. "Both I and that monster are beings capable of directly affecting this world."
While Hoshino wore a troubled expression, Jonouchi seed exhilarated.
"That was incredible! You took down the Malefic Blue-Eyes in one go! It's been so long since I've seen one of Hoshino's Heroic Spirits, but they're as cool and reliable as ever!"
"Cool and reliable? Are you talking about ?" Musashi tilted her head, her expression betraying slight embarrassnt. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks as she scratched at them shyly.
"Hehe, I'm just a humble swordswoman of so fa. There are plenty of others better at dragon-slaying than ~"
Hoshino cut in, her tone sharp. "Musashi-chan, earlier you ntioned I couldn't summon Heroic Spirits. What did you an by that? Wasn't the failed attempt to summon Karna because my Duel Disk was outdated?"
Musashi grew serious, her playful deanor fading. "I don't know much about Duel Disks, but I do have a ssage from Da Vinci to deliver to you, Master."
Hoshino sighed in exasperation at the ntion of Da Vinci. "A ssage from Da Vinci-chan? She'd better have a good explanation for dumping in this place."
"It's directly related to why you're here," Musashi said. "Da Vinci explained that opening a tunnel through world's requires vividly recalling the destination you want to reach. Strong emotions and clear mories serve as the anchor."
"Yeah, I know that much," Hoshino replied, crossing her arms. "But I swear, the place I envisioned was my ho—not 'Domino City' from ten years later."
"That's where things get strange," Musashi continued. "Before you crossed over, did you notice anything unusual? Da Vinci observed the Millennium Necklace emitting unprecedented power right before your jump."
Hoshino's eyes widened as she recalled a fleeting mory—a brief vision of a man standing amidst a desolate wasteland, his Duel Disk gleaming on his arm. His eyes burned with despair and vengeance.
"Are you saying I ended up here because of what the Millennium Necklace showed ?" Hoshino asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.
First, Hoshino didn't recognize the man in the vision. According to Ishizu, the Millennium Necklace could only show glimpses of a future closely tied to its wielder.
Second, while this Domino City from ten years later had suffered damage from rampaging Duel Monsters, it was still far from the desolate ruins she had seen in her vision.
Musashi shook her head, her expression serious. "This is all the information we have right now. Even Da Vinci and Hols can't deduce anything more." Then, with an optimistic smile, she added, "So our next goal is clear—to protect Master and gather as much intel as possible in this world!"
Jonouchi, looking thoroughly confused, interrupted. "Wait, I'm completely lost here. Da Vinci, Hols? I haven't t them before, but they sound like Duel Monsters, right? Why do they feel like real people? And this beautiful swordswoman—she's supposed to be the Miyamoto Musashi, right? So why is she a girl?"
He bombarded them with a stream of questions, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief. From the Duel Monster rampages to Hoshino's ti travel and the sudden appearance of this so-called "Miyamoto Musashi," it was clear that Jonouchi's worldview had taken more hits in the past minutes than in the last several years combined.
"There are so things I can't explain, even if I wanted to~" Hoshino replied with a shrug. "And as for Musashi-chan—if King Arthur and Oda Nobunaga can be girls, why not Miyamoto Musashi?"
Jonouchi stared at her, clearly unsatisfied, but Hoshino brushed him off with a casual wave. Spending ti clarifying such questions seed pointless when there were far more pressing matters to address.
Unfazed, Jonouchi pressed on. "So you're planning to investigate the Duel Monster rampages, Hoshino? But isn't it dangerous to act alone when you can't even use your Duel Disk or deck?"
"With protecting Master, there's no danger at all~" Musashi interjected confidently, thumping her chest with pride. The gesture caused her "giant assets" to bounce slightly, though she seed completely unaware of the effect.
"No, I don't intend to act alone," Hoshino clarified, her tone serious as she laid out her next plan. "If possible, Jonouchi, I'd like your help."
Jonouchi blinked in surprise. "My help?"
"Yes," Hoshino replied firmly. "I want you to take to the 'Academy.' I need to et the Hoshino Chiyuki of this world."
(*****)
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