Chapter 346

After dealing with Hoshino's troublesome Heracles Illya, Jonouchi, now holding the upper hand, inserted his remaining two cards into the Duel Disk.

"I set my remaining two cards and end my turn! And since I haven't conducted a Normal Summon this turn, I can activate the effect of the [Red-Eyes Wyvern] I sent to the Graveyard earlier!"

[Effect: Once per turn, during your End Phase: You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 "Red-Eyes" monster in your GY; Special Summon that target. You cannot Normal Summon/Set during the turn you activate this effect.]

Jonouchi took a card from his Graveyard and placed it face-up on the field, summoning a small, black dragon.

"I Special Summon [Red-Eyes Baby Dragon] in Defense Position!"

[Red-Eyes Baby Dragon – DEF 700]

"Not summoning Red-Eyes Black Dragon, but instead going with Baby Dragon? What is he planning now…"

Hoshino narrowed her eyes at Jonouchi, who was smirking to himself, and sighed.

"Ugh, it's way too obvious. This guy would be terrible at playing Old Maid."

Noticing her hesitation, Jonouchi grinned, adjusting his posture with a smug expression.

"What's wrong, Hoshino? Too scared to make a move now that I've got the advantage?"

"Don't get cocky, you commoner!" Hoshino shot back, mimicking Kaiba's voice as she drew her card for the turn with dramatic flair.

"My turn—draw! Then, I activate the effect of [First Premonition]! During my Standby Phase, I return the banished Spell Card [Phantasmal Summon Install] to my hand!"

Recovering her previous investment, Hoshino wasted no time in activating Illya's Fusion ability.

"The monster on my field, [Heroic Spirit – Illyasviel von Einzbern], has a special effect—once per turn, if she is not equipped with a card, she can equip 1 monster from my Banished Zone!"

Hoshino took the only banished card and placed it in her Spell/Trap Zone. Illya, clad in her magical girl attire, raised her Ruby staff, which transformed into a tricolor sword.

"——Noble Phantasm deployment! 'Sword of the War God!'"

"I equip the banished Altera to Illya! Her ATK increases by Altera's ATK!"

[Heroic Spirit – Altera ATK 3350]

[Illyasviel ATK 1000 → 4350]

As one of Hoshino's highest-stat Heroic Spirit monsters, Illya now wielded the full power of the Sword of the War God, her strength surging to new heights.

"My ATK is higher now, Master!" Illya beamed proudly, looking at her sword-wielding form with admiration.

Hoshino locked onto Jonouchi's [Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon], which had been restraining Berserker Illya, and shouted her command.

"No need to hold back—attack, Illyasviel! Target Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon and destroy it!"

"Got it, Master!"

Illya raised the Sword of the War God, its rapidly rotating tricolor blade emitting a dazzling rainbow light.

"You won't keep me bound any longer! With my 'Sword of the War God – Photon Ray,' I'll annihilate you completely!"

Cloaked in brilliant, seven-colored radiance, Illya shot forward like a comet. The blinding blade tore through the dragon's dark flames, cleaving both it and the chains that had imprisoned Berserker Illya.

[Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon – Destroyed]

[Jonouchi LP: 2900 → 1550]

Despite the dragon's destruction, the Berserker Illya that had been forcefully turned into an Equip Card didn't return to Hoshino's field—it was sent to the Graveyard instead.

Jonouchi's expression turned serious.

"...That was a fierce attack, Hoshino. But Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon won't go down so easily!"

He pointed to the scorched ground where his monster had just fallen. Black flames still lingered there, now flaring even more violently.

"[Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon]'s effect activates—when it's destroyed, I can Special Summon 1 Level 7 or lower 'Red-Eyes' monster from my Graveyard, except itself!"

Jonouchi raised his Duel Disk as the flames surged around it, and a piercing roar echoed into the sky.

"I Special Summon [Red-Eyes Black Dragon]! And since it was summoned by Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon's effect, its ATK is doubled!"

[Red-Eyes Black Dragon – ATK 2400 → 4800]

"ROOOOAR!!"

The emperor of black flames returned to the field—this time, stronger than ever. For the first time, Red-Eyes Black Dragon surpassed even the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

"How about that, Hoshino? This is proof I've surpassed who I used to be—the strongest Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Jonouchi smirked proudly, rubbing his nose. It had taken him everything to get here—to overcome the shadow of the Blue-Eyes that crushed him back in Duelist Kingdom and unlock the true strength of his Red-Eyes.

"That's incredible, Jonouchi. You really brought out the full potential of your Red-Eyes! But the Duel's not over yet. Strength and potential alone won't be enough to make me lose!"

Hoshino pressed on with her Battle Phase. She directed the normal-form Illya to bypass the newly summoned Red-Eyes Black Dragon and go for the [Red-Eyes Baby Dragon] in Defense Position instead.

Illya hesitated.

"Are you sure, Master? I've got a really bad feeling about attacking that one... No—something bad will happen!"

She hadn't forgotten how destroying Baby Dragon last turn had triggered the appearance of [Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon]. Doing it again would definitely summon something just as troublesome.

Hoshino reassured her with a smile.

"Don't worry, I've got a plan! Just attack, Illya!"

"If you say so, Master… Here goes—Magical Splash!"

Illya fired a beam of magical energy, and the starlight effortlessly pierced through the tiny dragon.

[Red-Eyes Baby Dragon – Destroyed]

Jonouchi's smug grin vanished in an instant.

"You fell for it, Hoshino! You thought I'd use Baby Dragon to summon another monster, but that was just bait! The real trap is this—Trap Card, [Red-Eyes Burn]!"

[Effect: If a face-up "Red-Eyes" monster(s) you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: Target 1 of those monsters; both players take damage equal to its original ATK.]

"Due to the effect of the Trap Card [Red-Eyes Burn], both players take damage equal to the original ATK of Red-Eyes Baby Dragon, which is 1200 points!"

Like a detonating bomb, the black flames exploded from the shattered Red-Eyes Baby Dragon, splitting in two and racing toward both Hoshino and Jonouchi.

[Jonouchi LP: 1550]

[Hoshino LP: 1000]

Yugi was shocked. "So this was Jonouchi's real reason for summoning [Red-Eyes Baby Dragon]! That 1200 points of damage hits right at the threshold of both duelists' remaining Life Points!"

Honda looked baffled. "Since when did Jonouchi get so smart?! He actually managed to outplay Hoshino!"

Watching the black flames close in on her Master, Illya looked like she was about to burst into tears. "I told you we shouldn't have attacked! From now on, I swear I'll never attack those little black dragons again!"

First, attacking the baby dragon last turn led to the summoning of Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon. Now, it had nearly cost them the duel. That Red-Eyes Baby Dragon was quickly becoming Illya's worst nightmare in this battle.

Hoshino quickly reassured her, "Don't panic, Illya! As Chaldea's Final Defensive System, you need to stay calm, no matter what kind of crisis we face!"

She drew a card and slammed it into the Duel Disk. The red gemstone in Illya's staff lit up once again.

"And besides, I told you—I was ready for this! Quick-Play Spell, activate: [Phantasmal Summon]!"

It was the same Quick-Play Spell she had recovered last turn using Berserker Illya's effect. The synergy between Phantasmal Summon and Illya was one of the cornerstones of her deck—allowing her Magical Girls to manifest infinite possibilities.

"With Phantasmal Summon, I banish [Magical Girl – Illya] from the field to Fusion Summon a Fusion Monster that includes Illya as material!"

"I have to stay calm, right? Got it, Master!"

Illya nodded, steeling herself, and reached for the Class Card strapped to her thigh.

"In this situation, the Class Card I need is—Class Card: Saber!"

A dazzling starlight flared, and the radiant transformation sequence of [Phantasmal Summon] completely overwhelmed the oncoming black flames rushing toward Hoshino.

"—Install! Artoria Pendragon Lily!"

"—Fusion Summon! [Magical Girl – Artoria Lily Illya]!"

Bathed in dreamlike light, a brand-new fusion form emerged. The brilliance of the Sword of Selection cleaved apart the deadly black fire, illuminating the transformed Illya's graceful, knightly features.

[Magical Girl – Artoria Lily Illya ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][LIGHT][Warrior/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2500 / DEF 1000]

Jonouchi stared in disbelief. "Why does that one monster have so many different Fusion forms...? But even if you Fusion Summon something new, the damage from [Red-Eyes Burn] isn't battle damage—it's effect damage! You can't stop it!"

Hoshino smirked, "Unlimited forms mean unlimited possibilities! You think the title of 'Grand Cosplayer' is just for show? [Magical Girl – Artoria Lily Illya]'s effect activates—!"

[While this card is on the field, all effect damage received by its controller becomes 0.]

"O light of the Sword of Selection—please guide us to victory!"

The black flames that had nearly reached Hoshino were completely snuffed out. Thanks to Artoria Lily Illya's effect, she negated the fatal effect damage entirely.

After watching several rounds unfold, Yugi finally grasped the full scope of Hoshino's new deck and analyzed it inwardly.

"At first, I thought Hoshino's deck was just built for easy Fusion Summons and recycling Fusion materials for value. But now I see… The true strength lies in its extreme adaptability and complete unpredictability!"

"Whew... That was way too close, Master!" Illya lowered the Sword of Selection and wiped her brow with a deep sigh of relief.

But Hoshino grinned mischievously. "Oh, I didn't just block the damage, Illya! Remember—Artoria Lily Illya only negates effect damage for me. Jonouchi just blasted himself!"

[Jonouchi LP: 1550 → 350]

"Ow ow ow ow ow—!" Jonouchi cried out as he frantically tried to pat down the black flames burning through his Life Points.

Honda seized the moment to roast him. "You moron! That's what you get for trying to be sneaky! A real Duelist fights fair and square!"

Naturally, Jonouchi wasn't about to admit fault. "What are you talking about?! This was all part of my plan!"

It clearly wasn't. But there was no way he'd confess that in front of everyone—he'd look like a total fool!

"Ah! That's right! This is... a Life Point Lock strategy!"

It was an obviously made-up excuse, but Hoshino only shook her head with a smile. She reached for her banished pile and pulled out a card.

"[Magical Girl – Illya]'s effect activates! If she's banished as a Fusion Material, I can Special Summon her back to the field!"

[Magical Girl – Illya | DEF 1000]

This time, Hoshino placed her Illya in Defense Position. With both duelists at dangerously low Life Points, she couldn't afford to leave a vulnerable attacker exposed.

Returning from the banished zone for the third time, Illya looked visibly drained. "Ugh... I'm exhausted... Why does this duel feel harder than an actual fight?!"

Illya, you better get used to it. Your life of overwork is just beginning.

"And when Artoria Lily Illya is Fusion Summoned, I can activate her effect to add one 'Magical Girl' monster from my Deck to my hand..."

Hoshino drew her newest card—a crucial piece of her strategy.

"—[Magical Girl – Miyu]!"

(*****)

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