"This young lady has been a bit strange from the start..."
If Clara were truly the saintly person she appeared to be, she should've shown at least so concern for the defeated duelist rather than focusing solely on the outco of the duel. Yet, she didn't seem the least bit moved by soone dying in a duel.
On the other hand, if Clara were simply naive, she should've at least been able to answer when Hoshino asked where the restroom was earlier—but she clearly couldn't. In other words, when the odds were announced last round, Clara wasn't suffering from a stomachache at all—she was out placing a bet, just like she was now.
Sure, it was her money, and Hoshino had no say in how she used it. But the fact that she deliberately hid that detail left a strange feeling of unease.
"When you're out in the world, you've got to be cautious. Better keep an eye on that lady, partner~"
After giving a slight reminder to Hoshino, who had control over most of the body's actions, the sound of a tallic gate clanging open echoed as Hoshino Alter officially stepped onto the duel stage.
"Go, King! Crush your opponent like always!" "You better win today, or I'm going ho bare-assed tonight!"
This popular duelist, carrying the monetary hopes of countless spectators, was imagined by Hoshino Alter to have an over-the-top, colorful hairstyle and flashy, chuunibyou-style outfit to live up to the na "King."
However, standing across the field, the duelist known as King... well, in a way, he did have a powerful hairstyle—but the gap between expectation and reality made Hoshino Alter's eye twitch.
"He's bald...?"
The man standing there looked like a harmless middle-aged uncle. Not even a trace of kingly presence could be found.
"Ahem! Miss, watch your manners. I just have a bit less hair, that's all," King said with a cough, defending himself.
"Sorry, but with that little hair, I'd still call you bald."
Comntator: "As expected of the one who crushed Leon with perfection—Vivian starts the duel with a taunt at King! She must be extrely confident this ti as well!"
Hoshino Alter muttered internally, "Is this comntator trying to stir the pot or sothing? I was just stating facts. The guy's clearly bald."
To her surprise, the audience's reaction was even more intense.
"How rude! Don't you know hair loss is the biggest sore spot for middle-aged n?"
"Damn it, calling King bald?! That's obviously a stylish hairstyle—just like mine!"
"Don't hold back, King! Make her suffer!"
Most of those qualified to watch underground duels were wealthy middle-aged n. Hoshino Alter's casual comnt had pierced straight into their hearts.
As King activated his duel disk, he smiled confidently. "Miss, it seems you've provoked the wrath of the crowd. Even if I wanted to spare you, they wouldn't allow it now."
"Geez, why are these old guys so sensitive? Is it really that big a deal?"
With an exasperated sigh, she slapped her duel disk into action—completely unable to understand their pain.
[Vivian VS King]
"Duel!"
With King's middle-aged reflexes, there was no way he could seize the first turn against Hoshino Alter in her pri.
"I'll go first! Draw!"
Pulling her first card, Hoshino imdiately opened up a black vortex on her field—but unlike All the Evils of this World, it didn't radiate malice or ooze black mud.
"I activate the Continuous Spell Card [Source of Alter – 'Void'] from my hand! As long as this card remains face-up on the field, any 'Heroic Spirit' monsters in my hand or on the field are treated as 'Alter' monsters."
"Alter monsters?" The crowd, including Keith, looked visibly confused.
Only Akasha seed thoughtful. "I knew it... this Hos—Nee-chan is the other version."
Hoshino Alter followed up by slamming a card onto her duel disk. "Then, I Normal Summon in Attack Position: [Heroic Spirit – Kiyohi]!"
Blue flas flared as black energy from the void flowed in, forming a physical body on her field.
[Heroic Spirit – Kiyohi ★★★ (Level 3)] [FIRE] [Dragon/Effect] [ATK 800 / DEF 500]
"Thanks to the Continuous Spell Source of Alter – 'Void', Kiyohi is treated as an 'Alter' monster. And while 'Void' is on the field, Alter monsters gain ATK equal to their level × 100."
[Kiyohi's ATK: 800 → 1100]
Now tinged with a faint black hue from the void, Kiyohi's partially concealed eyes burned with intense, indescribable passion.
"This scorching black fla is the fire of jealousy in my heart, Master! Rember our agreent that you wouldn't resist a night visit? Why is Mash locking in my room every night since then?"
Inside the pyramid of light, Hoshino broke into a cold sweat. "Thank you so much, Mash..."
Though it was Hoshino Alter who made the promise to Kiyohi, Hoshino—who was in control most of the ti—would be the one "visited" at night.
Completely guiltless, Hoshino Alter smiled and set two cards into her back row.
"I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn!"
[Vivian's: 2 Hand Cards | 2 Set Cards]
As her turn ended, King finally spoke as his began.
"Alter monsters... I can sense the dark energy used to strengthen them. But can they stand against the Cyberstyle?"
"Cyberstyle?" Hoshino Alter frowned slightly. She'd heard of Cyber before, back in her ti in the future. The Cyber End Dragon used by Paradox was said to be one of its strongest monsters—its overwhelming power had given Hoshino a fair share of headaches back then.
But this "Cyberstyle" King ntioned was completely unfamiliar.
"My turn. Draw! I activate, from my hand, the special effect of the monster card [Cyberdark Cannon]!"
A semi-chanical creature appeared montarily before diving into King's Graveyard zone on the duel disk.
[Cyberdark Cannon – Effect: You can discard this card; add 1 Machine "Cyberdark" monster from your Deck to your hand.]
"With its effect, I add a 'Cyberdark' monster to my hand. I choose [Cyberdark Keel]—and I summon it imdiately!"
A smooth, seamless play. Although he looked like a balding middle-aged man, once the duel began, King's entire aura turned razor-sharp.
[Cyberdark Keel ★★★★ (Level 4)] [DARK] [Machine/Effect] [ATK 800 / DEF 800]
As the sleek, black-armored chanical dragon materialized on King's field, Hoshino Alter couldn't help but mock:
"Only 800 ATK? Was it really worth searching for that? Or is this just how you middle-aged folks duel nowadays?"
[C'mon, have so self-awareness. Kiyohi only has 800 ATK too...]
King smirked and narrowed his eyes. "Hmph. Now cos the main act. This is the hidden Cyberstyle—offering dragons as tribute to draw power from their slumbering corpses in the grave."
[Effect: When this card is successfully summoned, target 1 Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type monster in your Graveyard and equip it to this card as an Equip Card.]
Cyberdark Keel twisted its body, dove into the Graveyard, and dragged out the Cyberdark Cannon that King had discarded earlier, wrapping it around its own fra.
The announcer perked up with excitent:
"Here it is—King's powerful Cyber-style parasitic tactic! With just one monster, he's able to boost its combat strength far beyond its original stats!"
"Cyberdark Keel's effect: It gains ATK equal to the equipped monster's ATK! And Cyberdark Cannon has 1600 ATK—"
[Cyberdark Keel ATK 800 → 2400]
After using a Dragon for the search, it was now repurposed to boost Cyberdark Keel's attack. The parasitized dragon looked like it was in agony—but that was exactly the essence of the hidden Cyber style.
Understanding the Cyber style's rhythm, Hoshino Alter said seriously:
"A Level 4 monster... with ATK rivaling Red-Eyes Black Dragon? That tells us sothing, partner..."
[It tells us that Red-Eyes just isn't strong enough for a Level 7 monster.]
"Bingo~ That's exactly what I was thinking."
With his Cyber strategy in full swing, King wasted no ti and went straight into the Battle Phase. The cannon latched onto Keel aid at Kiyohi and fired a black energy blast laced with electrical sparks.
"Attack! Cyberdark Impact!"
Facing the blast, Hoshino Alter discarded a monster from her hand to the Graveyard. Kiyohi's form transford into a blazing blue dragon.
"You think you're the only one who can draw power from others? Kiyohi's effect—discard one 'Heroic Spirit' monster to raise her ATK by half of that monster's ATK! And the one I'm sending is this—Heroic Spirit – Jeanne, with 2500 ATK!"
[Kiyohi ATK 1100 → 2350]
"As for the na of this move—let's call it... Hidden Night Raid Style!"
Clara cried out,
"No good! Vivi's monster is still 50 ATK short!"
The black blast collided with the blue fla dragon in a trendous explosion. That re 50-point difference sealed White Star's loss in this clash.
[Vivian LP 4000 → 3950]
"No, this works out perfectly. After all, night raids always end in failure... Activating my set Trap Card—[Hero's Return]!"
[Hero's Return – Trap Card Effect: When a "Heroic Spirit" monster you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: Target 1 "Heroic Spirit" monster in your GY; Special Summon it.]
"This was my true goal. Thanks to Hero's Return, the mont Kiyohi is destroyed, I Special Summon the Heroic Spirit – Jeanne I just sent to the Graveyard!"
She slamd Jeanne's card from the Graveyard onto the Duel Disk. The pure holy light that blood on White Star's field was slightly tainted by the energy of the Alter rift.
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][LIGHT][Fairy/Effect][ATK 2500 → 3300 / DEF 3000]
Waving her holy banner as she stepped out of the black-and-white radiance, Jeanne placed a hand on her chest and spoke:
"So this is what it feels like to beco Alter... I think I understand my little sister a bit better now. This isn't so bad, Master!"
Comntator:
"Neither side is backing down! Even against King's Cyber Style, contestant Vivian stands her ground! With a brilliant chain of tactics and only 50 LP lost, she counters with an even stronger monster!"
"Vivian… she's sothing else. Just where did they find this duelist?"
"Don't worry. King won't lose. He's never taken damage in any of his duels. Unlike Vivian—she already lost 50 LP. She may not show it, but that probably gave her a good jolt."
But King himself, unlike the peanut gallery, wasn't careless. After that exchange, he now understood the depths of Hoshino Alter's strength.
"Dueling in a place like this... it's a waste of your potential."
Shaking his head, King ended his Battle Phase and quickly set four cards on the field.
[King's: 1 Hand Card | 4 Set Cards]
As her turn began, Hoshino Alter drew and smiled:
"Old man, aren't you doing the sa? Risking your life here just to earn money. Now it's my turn to counterattack!"
Raising her Duel Disk, she pointed to Jeanne to activate her effect.
"Setting four cards at once... how annoying. Well then, let's start by clearing one! Jeanne's effect: Once per turn, I can look at one of the opponent's set cards."
Placing her hands together before her eyes, Jeanne invoked divine guidance in her role as judge.
"—Revelation!"
One of the four set cards on King's field—the one on the far right—flipped face-up in response to Jeanne's effect.
[Trap Card – Magic Cylinder]
Akasha grumbled:
"How dirty... bringing a trap like that into a duel at your age!"
Oh, so it's okay to use dirty traps just because you're a kid?
"Continuing Jeanne's effect—I discard a card from my hand of the sa type as the one I revealed. That destroys the card! I discard a Trap card..."
"——God Resolution!"
At the mont the card in Hoshino Alter's hand was sent to the Graveyard, a flash of lightning struck and shattered King's face-down Magic Cylinder.
"Now I can attack! Go, Jeanne! That undefeated record? I'll break it with ease!"
As the Battle Phase began, Jeanne—empowered by the Alter enhancent—charged into battle, with Hoshino full of confidence.
"Miss, you're still too hasty. The potential of the Cyberstyle isn't that shallow."
Facing Jeanne's fierce assault, King calmly flipped one of his set cards:
"Reckless attacks often lead to self-destruction! I activate my Quick-Play Spell—[Limiter Removal]!"
Limiter Removal—a beloved support card among Machine-type duelists. It instantly doubles the ATK of all Machine-type monsters on the field, making it a go-to for burst damage and clutch counters.
[Cyberdark Keel ATK 2400 → 4800]
With its limiters released, Cyberdark Keel doubled in size, and its offensive power now overwheld Jeanne.
"That was close… If I hadn't seen this move before, I might not have been prepared! But too bad for you—"
In response to Keel's overwhelming power, Hoshino Alter played a Quick-Play Spell and slotted it into her Duel Disk:
"Then it's ti for a shift change—Quick-Play Spell activate: [Spirit Core Shift]!"
Mid-charge, a black light erupted beneath Jeanne's feet. Her once-white holy banner turned jet black as her Spirit Core of vengeance took her place.
"Thanks to Spirit Core Shift, I shuffle Jeanne back into the deck and Special Summon [Heroic Spirit – Jeanne Alter]!"
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne Alter★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][DARK][Fiend/Effect][ATK 3000 → 3800 / DEF 2500]
"That saint called her little sister again... Ugh, I'll never acknowledge soone like her as my sister!!"
(*****)
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