As Yuui's words fell, Emily's expression grew even darker. With an annoyed snort, she flicked her wrist. "My turn—draw!"
She drew a new card, glanced at it, and the corners of her mouth lifted.
"I activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed—draw 2 cards!"
Two more cards slid free. Emily's eyes lit up the moment she saw them.
"Looks like my luck really is great today! I tribute the Tricky Token on my field to Tribute Summon!" Emily raised a card high and shouted, "A mighty warrior from another dimension—Trance the Magic Swordsman!!"
The Tricky Token dissolved into motes of light. A silver-white greatsword etched with arcane runes tore open space itself, and from that rift strode a blond warrior clad in rune-inscribed armor, the shining blade in his hand.
[Trance the Magic Swordsman, ATK 2600]
Alicia: "A Level 6 monster with 2600 Attack… that's way too much!!"
Yuui's brows knitted. Indeed, 2600 Attack on a Level 6 Normal Monster was a bit absurd.
"Hahaha—see that, Alicia-chan? That's the power of our faction! Rare cards like this aren't for just anyone!"
Noting the tension on Yuui's face, Emily felt a rush of satisfaction.
"Battle Phase!" she commanded. "Trance the Magic Swordsman attacks Elemental HERO Stratos—Arcane Light Slash!!"
Silver-violet magic coiled around Trance's left hand. He ran his palm along the blade, and the runes flared. With a sweeping cut through the air, a crescent of silver-violet light flew toward Stratos.
Boom!!
The slash cleaved Stratos in two, followed by a violent explosion. Yuui raised his arms to shield himself.
[Yuui, LP: 2200 → 1600]
Yuui slid half a meter back before regaining his footing. Alicia stood beside him, worried, watching steam rise from her body.
"Yuui!"
"I'm fine," Yuui said, eyes sharpening. "Though it looks like we've only got one chance left."
Alicia knew exactly what he meant. She bit her lip, then nodded hard. "We can do it, Yuui-san. I believe in you!"
Hearing that, Yuui's lips quirked upward. Seeing that hint of a smile, Emily suddenly felt her composure crack.
Emily: "I literally just slashed you… What are you smiling at!?"
"You'd better smile while you still can," she snapped. "Next turn, I'll finish you! Main Phase 2—I set one card. Turn end!"
Yuui drew a steady breath and looked down at his Deck. Now was the moment that would decide the duel.
"My turn… draw!!"
Alicia: "Yuui-san!!"
Yuui looked at the card in his hand and murmured, "Ah… time to counterattack."
"I Normal Summon Elemental HERO Burstinatrix."
[Elemental HERO Burstinatrix, ATK 1200]
"I don't know what you're scheming, but it won't work!"
Even though Burstinatrix had only 1200 Attack, Emily followed her instincts and flipped her set card.
"I activate my face-down—Trap Hole! When your opponent successfully Normal or Flip Summons a monster with 1000 or more Attack: target that monster; destroy it."
A massive pit yawned open beneath Burstinatrix's feet, ready to swallow her—
Abruptly, then, Yuui slammed down the card he'd just drawn this turn.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell—Order to Charge! Target 1 Normal Monster you control, except a Token; Tribute that monster, then destroy 1 monster your opponent controls.
"I target my Burstinatrix, Tribute her, and destroy your Trance the Magic Swordsman!"
"What!? That card!!" Emily's eyes flew wide.
That very morning, Order to Charge had turned the tide for Yuui in a pivotal moment. And now, it was about to rewrite the duel yet again.
"Burstinatrix—show that so-called swordsman your power!"
Familiar magic surged through the HERO. Obeying Yuui's will, Burstinatrix unleashed all her potential, becoming a dragon of flame that roared toward Trance.
Trance raised his blade to block—but he was a heartbeat too slow.
A flash of fire and his silver-white sword melted into slag. His chest was pierced, his body crumbling into ash before fading away.
Watching, Emily's already plain features darkened further, her ample chest heaving with fury.
"You think that's enough to beat me? You only took down one monster! What? Are you going to attack me with Clayman now?"
"Exactly. I'm going to attack you with Clayman."
"...Huh!?"
Yuui's blunt reply stunned Emily and even the twin maids. Under their bewildered stares, Yuui switched Clayman to Attack Position.
[Elemental HERO Clayman, DEF 4000 → ATK 800]
"Heh… heh heh… heh heh heh!"
Emily actually let out a half-crazed laugh. "You switched your only lifesaving monster just to deal me 800 damage? Do you really think I won't draw something with more than 800 Attack next turn?"
Yuui understood her anger perfectly. He said evenly, "Who told you you'll have a next turn?"
"What!?"
"Watch closely. This is the bond between us and our Deck."
Yuui revealed his last card. "Spell Card—Courageous Charge. Choose 1 monster you control with 1000 or less Attack; pay 1000 Life Points. When that monster inflicts battle damage to your opponent this turn, your opponent takes additional battle damage equal to that monster's Defense.
"I target my Elemental HERO Clayman and pay 1000 Life Points! That means if he deals battle damage, you take his Defense—4000—as extra battle damage!"
[Yuui, LP: 1600 → 600]
"So… that's 4800 battle damage!?"
Emily stared at the now nearly seven-meter-tall Clayman, lips twitching, eyes vacant. A single bleak thought crossed her mind… 'That punch is going to hurt for a long time.'
Yuui thrust out his hand. "Clayman, let her taste a blow worthy of the gods! Direct attack—Clay Smash Fist!!"
"Ugh!"
A sound of no clear meaning rang from the red core—but everyone present felt Clayman's excitement.
He raised a fist nearly two meters thick and brought it down on the dumbstruck Emily.
BOOOOM!!!
Like a falling meteor, the impact split the ground. A hurricane of pressure shredded the nearby trees. The twin maids clung to each other just to stay standing.
As for Emily, who took the blow head-on—she was blasted seven or eight meters back, shrieking midair before crashing to the ground and passing out.
[Emily, LP: 3800 → 3000 → 0]
And so, the duel ended in Yuui's victory—or, in everyone else's eyes, in Alicia's victory—once again.
Yuui glanced at the panicked twin maids; both looked as if a beast had fixed its gaze upon them and hurried to their mistress's side.
Watching them carry Emily off, Yuui looked up toward the freshmen dorms.
Almost every window was open. The duel had been loud enough that the freshmen inevitably heard it, so they'd watched almost the entire thing.
When Clayman's fist struck Emily, many gasped, fear rippling at Yuui's overwhelming strength. The moment he looked their way, windows slammed shut—no one wanted to provoke him now.
A few freshmen, though, were still confident in their own power. They believed they could defeat Alicia, and even when Yuui glanced their way, they didn't flinch.
Among them were the kingdom's third prince, Autrys Bredt, and the little witch of the Tutt ducal family, Alice Tutt.
Yuui paid no mind to the lingering stares. He was confident he could defeat any of these first-years—even that third prince with his Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
Regardless, he also had no interest in being gawked at like a zoo exhibit.
"Your body back to you, Alicia. Head in and rest. Tomorrow, wake up early—before we go find our classroom, we'll stop by the card shop and exchange for those cards I mentioned."
"Got it, Yuui-san!"
Alicia's soul returned to her body. She glanced at the dorm windows still peeking at her; feeling the fierceness of those gazes, she glared right back a few times, then trotted into the dorm.
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]