"Don't worry! As long as I use cards that have never been revealed publicly, there's no way my identity will be exposed~"
Among the duels that made Hoshino widely known, the first was her match against Kaiba during the Duel Disk test at school. That duel had been recorded and uploaded to YouTube, where it exploded in popularity.
Next came the Battle City semi-finals, where she clashed with Marik in a showdown broadcast worldwide.
And then there was the latter half of her duel at Kaiba Land, where, after the Pyramid of Light shattered, she faced off against Anubis in the final round.
Looking at it this way, even though Hoshino was the Duel King, the global duelist community's understanding of the Heroic Spirit deck was surprisingly limited. No wonder Pegasus could release a few reprinted Heroic Spirit cards and still get people to spend money like crazy.
Perhaps it was the mystery that made everyone eager to challenge her.
For duelists like Ryouta and Keith, who had already lost to Hoshino twice and experienced her strength firsthand, the desire to challenge her had long since been beaten out of them.
More importantly, since the new card pack had only been out for a few days, no one knew exactly how many Heroic Spirits had been reprinted. There might even be some hidden surprises—perhaps never-before-seen Heroic Spirits tucked inside. Who could say for sure?
[Partner~ If you're planning to use cards that haven't been revealed, why not let me take over? The Alter deck is practically unknown!]
As Hoshino followed Jaden onto the duel platform, Hoshino Alter inside the Pyramid of Light couldn't hold back any longer and volunteered.
Hoshino firmly rejected the idea: "No way. I already let you duel earlier. It's my turn now. Besides, if you keep taking my place, it'll mess up the event!"
[Huh? Is Da Vinci running another free card event? Feels like it's been forever! Wait, why don't I know about this new event?]
Hoshino sighed in exasperation. "I tried telling you this morning, but you were sleeping like a log inside. Nothing I did could wake you up!"
[Wow, are you seriously calling yourself a log? You're so crazy you even roast yourself now…]
.
..
...
"Hey, weird Miss! Are you ready or not?"
Seeing that Hoshino had been standing on the platform without taking any action, Jaden grew impatient and called out.
"You seem really eager to get beaten up, Jaden-kun! Just so you know, I'm pretty strong~"
Placing her deck on the duel platform's table, Hoshino grinned provocatively at Jaden.
It had been a while since she'd last dueled using one of these platforms. Ever since duel disks became widespread, she hadn't used the old, clunky holographic duel arenas in ages.
"I... I won't be scared of you!"
"The way you're stuttering makes it obvious that you're scared. Also, am I really that weird?"
Hoshino glanced down at her light gray cloak and tilted her head in confusion. "I think it looks pretty cool~"
Akasha squinted in disbelief. "Hoshino-nee, normal people don't go around wearing such a thick cloak in the middle of summer..."
[Jaden Yuki vs. Mysterious Cloaked Duelist]
[Duel Start!!]
"What the hell is 'Mysterious Cloaked Duelist' supposed to mean?!"
"Draw!" Before Hoshino could finish ranting about her title, Jaden had already drawn his first card.
"Hmm... Which monster should I summon?" Even with the first move, Jaden looked troubled.
"I'll just try this first. I summon [Elemental HERO Burstinatrix] in Attack Position!"
After much deliberation, Jaden hesitantly placed his card onto the table.
[Elemental HERO Burstinatrix ★★★(Level 3)][FIRE][Warrior][ATK 1200/DEF 800]
A burst of crimson flames erupted on the duel platform, materializing into a sleek and sexy red-heroine. As one of Pegasus' proud creations, the Elemental HERO series was something even Hoshino had never seen before.
"And with that, I end my turn."
"So, it's at an elementary school level of dueling, huh? Summoning a vanilla monster with no effect and not even setting a single card..."
Hoshino couldn't help but recall the times she farmed Saint Quartz by mercilessly crushing newbie duelists at Kame Game Shop.
Compared to them, Akasha—who was about the same age—had already forced Hoshino into tough battles in the past. In terms of talent, Akasha was easily the most gifted duelist Hoshino had ever seen.
"My turn! Draw! Now, I summon [Chariot Nobu] in Attack Position!"
[Chariot Nobu ★★★★(Level 4)][EARTH][Machine/Effect][ATK 1500/DEF 1500]
"Nobu~ nobu!"
The long-absent Nobu drove onto the field, its metal tracks clanking as it revved up in excitement.
Akasha twitched slightly at the corner of her eye. Now she finally understood what Hoshino meant by "cards that haven't been publicly revealed." Back when they hunted for rare cards in Battle City, Hoshino had used this exact Nobu deck.
Now, it had seemingly become her go-to deck for hiding her true identity.
Feeling betrayed, Jaden protested, "Wait a second! Didn't you say you were using a Heroic Spirit deck?"
He then cast a doubtful glance at the tank-like Nobu on Hoshino's field. "There's no way the Duel King would use a monster that looks this dumb!"
Sorry, Jaden-kun, but the Duel King really does use dumb-looking monsters like this...
"Don't worry about it. You'll find out soon enough..."
Hoshino, now fully in her duelist mindset, didn't hesitate to issue her attack declaration.
"Go, Chariot Nobu! Blow her away!"
"Nobu!"
Perhaps fueled by the insult of being called "dumb-looking," Mini Tank Nobu roared with rage, unleashing a barrage of gunfire. Explosive rounds engulfed Jaden's Burstinatrix in an instant.
[Elemental HERO Burstinatrix Destroyed!]
[Jaden Yuki LP 4000 → 3700]
The watching kids started whispering among themselves.
"He got crushed by such a dumb-looking monster? Guess heroes aren't so great after all..."
Hearing his friends mock him, Jaden frowned even harder.
"What's wrong? You've got that worried look on your face already? If you keep this up, your luck will slip away right through your fingers~"
Noticing Jaden's frustration, Hoshino decided to encourage him in her own way.
"—Remember this, Jaden-kun. Dueling is something that brings smiles!"
Of course, there was one crucial part Hoshino didn't say out loud—"If I don't win, I won't be able to smile at all."
But everyone understood. Motivational lines like these were often left unfinished, with the most important parts hidden between the lines. The most famous example? Newton's classic quote that had misled countless students for generations.
After successfully destroying Jaden's Elemental HERO monster, Hoshino promptly drew a card and set it facedown.
"I set one card and end my turn."
[Hoshino's Field: 4 cards in hand | 1 Set card] Searᴄh the NovelZone.fun* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
"Dueling is something that brings smiles…"
However, that simple remark seemed to strike a chord with Jaden. Ever since the appearance of the "curse," dueling had only brought him sorrow and painful memories.
How long had it been since he last smiled during a duel?
"Why are you spacing out? It's your turn!" the kids watching from the sidelines called out anxiously.
Children were often innocent like that. Despite fearing the rumors about the "curse," when faced with an unfamiliar challenger like Hoshino, they instinctively stood behind their friend—banding together against the outsider.
"Oh… right!" Snapping out of his daze, Jaden finally remembered to draw his card.
"If I frown, my luck will slip away from my fingertips, huh? Got it!" Slapping his cheeks to re-energize himself, Jaden forced out a faint smile.
"Alright, my turn! Draw!"
As he looked at the card he drew, Jaden's expression brightened.
"Yes! It's this one…"
Holding it carefully, he placed the card onto his otherwise empty field.
"A hero never gives up that easily! I summon [Elemental HERO Avian] in Attack Position!"
[Elemental HERO Avian ★★★ (Level 3)] [WIND] [Warrior] [ATK 1000 / DEF 1000]
A gust of wind swept across the platform as another classic Elemental HERO took the stage.
The kids began murmuring again. "Whoa, this one's even weaker than the last! Shouldn't you put it in Defense Position, Jaden?"
But this time, Jaden didn't look the least bit worried. Instead, he confidently revealed another card from his hand.
"Of course! Now I'll build the perfect stage for my HEROES to fight! I activate the Field Spell—[Skyscraper]!"
Towering buildings emerged from the duel field, forming a sprawling cityscape straight out of a vintage American superhero comic. Jaden's Elemental HERO Avian now stood proudly atop one of the high-rises, surveying the battlefield like a true Hero of justice.
[Skyscraper – Field Spell Effect: If an "Elemental HERO" monster attacks a monster with higher ATK, the attacking monster gains 1000 ATK during damage calculation only.]
"When Avian attacks Chariot Nobu, its ATK increases by 1000 thanks to Skyscraper!"
[Elemental HERO Avian ATK 1000 → 2000]
"Show them what HEROES can do, Avian! — Winged Strike!"
Brimming with excitement, Jaden unleashed the HERO combo he had visualized countless times.
"Nobu!" On Hoshino's side, Chariot Nobu revved its treads confidently despite the flashy entrance.
After all, Chariot Nobu possessed an effect that allowed it to enter "super mode," gaining an extra 1000 ATK. With that hidden ace, it had every reason to remain calm.
Pressing her finger on the card, Hoshino whispered, "Chariot Nobu, activate your effect—"
"Nobu! (It's time for a stylish counterattack!)"
"Effect activation denied~ Just take the hit quietly."
"Nobu?!"
The simple, doodle-like face of Chariot Nobu twisted in pure shock. Never in its mechanical life had it imagined being betrayed like this.
With no power-up, Chariot Nobu was torn apart by Avian's high-speed aerial strike.
"Nobu!! (You betrayed me!!)"
[Chariot Nobu – Destroyed]
[Mysterious Cloaked Duelist LP: 4000 → 3500]
"Yes! I did it!" Overjoyed at finally landing a solid hit, Jaden threw his arms up in triumph, beaming toward the cheering kids.
The children were thrilled. "Skyscraper is awesome! Maybe HERO cards aren't so weak after all!"
Kids were nothing if not fickle. Just minutes ago, they'd been mocking the HERO monsters. Now, they'd completely flipped, cheering for their friend.
"Not bad, Jaden-kun~ That wraps up the warm-up. Now it's time for the main event!"
Smiling, Hoshino flipped over her Set card.
"Jaden, didn't you want to duel against Heroic Spirits? Then let the real match begin! I activate my Trap Card—[Nobu – Break Time]!"
[Nobu – Break Time – Trap Card Effect: When a monster with "Nobu" in its name leaves the field, you can Special Summon one "Heroic Spirit" monster from your Deck with a level equal to or lower than the destroyed monster.]
"Thanks to my Trap Card, I can Special Summon a Heroic Spirit monster from my deck with a level equal to or lower than the destroyed Chariot Nobu!"
Drawing the card she had been saving, Hoshino smirked. This moment was the real heart of the duel—the successful summoning of this Heroic Spirit.
"Now, come forth in Attack Position—[Heroic Spirit – Ryougi Shiki]!"
[Heroic Spirit – Ryougi Shiki · 1st Ascension ★★★★ (Level 4)] [DARK] [Warrior/Effect] [ATK 1900 / DEF 1000]
[This card cannot be Normal Summoned.]
"Jeez… you actually summoned me, huh? Master of Chaldea."
With a dagger in hand, Ryougi Shiki appeared silently, her eyes briefly widening. Even she hadn't expected to meet Hoshino under these circumstances.
"Shh~ The situation's a little complicated, Shiki-san. Too much talking might blow my cover!"
Hoshino pressed a finger to her lips playfully. If anyone realized her Heroic Spirits could communicate with her, it would completely ruin her disguise.
"Hmm… a secret mission, huh? Sounds like a hassle." Quickly catching on, Ryougi Shiki lowered her voice. She'd dealt with more unusual assignments at Touko Aozaki's agency—this was nothing new.
"A secret mission, huh? Well… something like that," Hoshino muttered, scratching her head while glancing at the system prompt that had just appeared.
[Limited-Time Event: Kara no Kyōkai Collaboration. Defeat monsters using "Ryougi Shiki" to increase Ascension Levels and unlock 'Amalavijñāna – Boundary of Emptiness!']
[Current Ascension: 1st Stage. Required defeated monsters: 0/2]
(*****)
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