"Interrupting the duel, are we? This ti, you're not getting away, Vampire!"
Hoshino pulled out a strange, gold-plated key from her chest and smiled. "Besides… this is what you've been after, isn't it~?"
"The Key of the Seven Gates!? It was on this little girl all along!?"
Feeling deceived, Camula shot a furious glare at Crowler behind Hoshino. "You hideous fool! Didn't you claim to be the head of this academy!?"
Hoshino narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh? Is that true, Professor? Are you saying a professor's position outranks the Headmistress now?"
"M-Mamma mia!" Crowler stumbled back, frantically rubbing his hands together as he avoided her gaze. "You misunderstand, Headmistress~! That was rely a bluff to provoke the opponent, nanno-ne! Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to stall long enough for you to arrive!"
"Well, fair enough." Hoshino smirked. "You did handle yourself decently this ti, so I'll let that one slide. Now then…"
Her gaze sharpened as she turned back to Camula. "You hard my students, spread fear throughout the academy, and nearly cost one of my most important colleagues. But most importantly—" her lips curved into a dangerous grin, "—I just don't like you. Ti to count your sins, Camula!"
Before the ominous Illusion Gate stood the vampiress—one of the Shadow Riders—controlling a powerful field: two Vampires and the mighty Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem.
"A crash-in duel? You really think you can win after barging in like that? Don't tell you hit your head, girl!"
"Heh, maybe so," Hoshino replied coolly, "but looking around, it seems you're the only one here who doesn't understand the situation."
Camula blinked as she noticed sothing unnatural: despite her overwhelming field, not a single Duel Academy student showed fear.
"Co on, Headmistress! Avenge Professor Crowler!" "With Sensei here, we've got nothing to fear!" "Don't go easy on that cheating old hag, Headmistress!" "Use your strongest deck and crush her!"
Camula's scarlet eyes widened. "Impossible…! Even with the field so completely in my favor, how can none of them fall into despair!?"
"That's right!" Hoshino's voice rang clear. "This academy was built upon bonds of trust—and those who believe in the future will always carve a path through darkness! Let's duel!"
[Camula LP: 100 → 4000]
[Chiyuki Hoshino LP: 100 → 4000]
"Huh? Our Life Points reset?" Camula frowned at her Duel Disk. "In a crash-in duel, shouldn't the new duelist inherit the previous field and LP?"
"It should work that way," Hoshino replied, raising her glowing Millennium Bracelet, "but you've been cheating, haven't you, Camula?"
The bracelet pulsed with golden light, overriding Camula's Shadow Ga with an even stronger dark aura.
"This is my Shadow Ga. It won't cause any deadly side effects, but if soone attempts to cheat within it, the rules are forcibly corrected—to ensure a fair duel."
Black mist surged, blocking out the swarm of bats Camula used to manipulate the field.
"Now, your little tricks won't work anymore."
"Tch, even so—you couldn't have chosen a worse mont to interfere!"
Drawing until she had five cards in hand, Camula imdiately pressed the attack.
"Let's see how you handle this with an empty field! Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, crush her completely!"
Crowler grabbed his head in despair. "Mamma mia! My Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem—being controlled by the enemy! If the Headmistress loses because of this, I'll be the one to bla, nanno-ne!"
Since this was technically a continuation of her duel with Crowler, Camula's Battle Phase remained in effect.
"That's exactly what I was waiting for!" Hoshino declared, raising a card. "From my hand, I activate the effect of the monster card Heroic Spirit – Formal Dress: Mash Kyrielight! When I control no monsters and my opponent declares an attack, I can send this card from my hand to the Graveyard!"
As the card slid into her Graveyard, a radiant summoning circle flared open on Hoshino's field.
"Then, when your monster declares an attack, I draw one card from my Deck! If it's a Heroic Spirit that can be Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon it in Defense Position instead—to block the attack!"
"Whoa, such a desperate gamble right off the bat?" Zane muttered.
Jaden only grinned. "That's the only way to stop an attack with an empty field. Believe in Sensei—and her deck!"
"Draw!!"
Wind roared as her draw sliced through the darkness, and a bright voice echoed overhead.
"I Special Summon in Defense Position—Heroic Spirit – Astolfo!"
"Master~~~!"
[Heroic Spirit – Astolfo ★★★★★★(Level 6)][WIND][Warrior/Effect][ATK 1000 / DEF 1500]
"Charlemagne's Paladin Astolfo—blooming like a flower upon the battlefield! Though I'll never wither~!"
Leaping from the back of his mighty griffin, Hippogriff, Astolfo landed lightly atop the head of the charging Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem!
"So cute!" Syrus and Minazuki cried, sparkling with admiration.
Akasha, having already fallen for the sa trap once, crossed her arms knowingly. "Don't say I didn't warn you—Astolfo's actually a guy."
Syrus froze, sweating. "S-such a cute… guy…?"
Minazuki clenched his fist, trembling with excitent. "That makes it even better!"
…Did this guy just awaken a whole new fetish?
Camula scoffed. "Even if you summoned a blocker, it's useless! Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem inflicts piercing battle damage equal to the difference between its ATK and your monster's DEF!"
Crowler gasped. "Mamma mia! With 4400 Attack Points, that ans 2900 damage straight to the Headmistress!"
"No," Hoshino said calmly. "Other monsters might not be able to stop him—but Astolfo can!"
Placing the newly drawn card sideways on her Duel Disk, Hoshino pointed up toward the sky where Astolfo was falling and declared—
"This is the special ability of Heroic Spirit – Astolfo! His finisher—!"
[①: Once per turn, when this card you control becos the target of an opponent's attack: You can activate this effect; negate that attack, then change that attacking monster to Defense Position.]
"—'Riding the Crow Airplane!'"
Descending from above, Astolfo's rear end slamd squarely into the steel forehead of the Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem! The impact jolted the giant's body, halting its charge as it dropped to one knee.
"Thanks to Astolfo's effect, I negate Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem's attack—and change it to face-down Defense Position!"
"Nice!" Jaden and Akasha high-fived. "Sensei stopped the Golem's attack!"
Crowler finally exhaled in relief. If Hoshino had lost because of his monster, he'd never live it down.
"Hmph, lucky brat! But my Battle Phase isn't over! Vampire Lord—attack Astolfo!"
"Then I'll continue with Formal Dress: Mash Kyrielight's effect! As long as I draw a monster, it will take the attack in Astolfo's place!"
"Good luck, Master! My fate's in your hands!"
Astolfo clasped his hands in prayer. His attack-negation effect could only be used once per turn—if he was to survive Vampire Lord's strike, everything depended on Hoshino's next draw.
"Leave it to , Astolfo! Draw!!"
Hoshino glanced at her new card, her eyebrow twitching slightly. She sighed softly. "Astolfo… I won't forget your sacrifice."
Clearly, it wasn't a monster card.
"(>.
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