Chapter 231: Your Girl Cards Are Even Cuter Than Mine
At 11:25 AM on the Eva network clock, Bilibili popular streamer Lilith Alpha went live exactly on schedule, two hours after her teaser announcement.
With over a million followers, Lilith Alpha ranked comfortably among Eden Tower's top-tier streaming personalities. That standing owed as much to her dual identity as a former professional duelist and a genuinely attractive real-life girl as it did to her shameless traffic-chasing habits.
Issuing a real-world challenge against the currently trending duel streamer Mizuki Mu. That premise alone was pure viral mechanics, executed to perfection.
The moment the stream opened, tens of thousands of viewers flooded in.
Over in the Riding Duel arena's VIP lounge, Roger quietly delivered the news to the Emperor.
"Emperor, Ruri's live again with another duel stream."
Suzune Ruri and the Emperor had history. During her professional career, she had been part of his riding duel team, serving as the second-slot rider in team formats. The group had been close enough that even after she retired from competitive play, Suzune would occasionally accept his invitations and return for team riding events.
"Oh? Who's she clout-chasing this time?"
"Someone called Mizuki Mu. Apparently a duel streamer who's been blowing up lately."
"Mizuki Mu..." The easy warmth in the Emperor's expression disappeared the instant he heard the name.
The name itself meant nothing. But the duelist tied to that account, Amano Rei, had been on the Emperor's radar for some time. Ever since Amano defeated Rin Seiya at the riding duel venue, the Emperor had been quietly keeping tabs on him.
There was also, it had to be said, the matter of Star Junk Synchron. The card he had once given Fioré, now sitting in Amano's possession.
And then yesterday, word spread that Amano Rei had defeated Kaiba Chiaki. There was even a rumor circulating that during the duel, he had summoned one of the Wicked Gods, the same kind of entity that had nearly brought the mid-level district to ruin not long ago.
"Amano Rei." The Emperor studied the boy's face on the stream feed, expression grave. "Are you a force for good or a harbinger of ruin? The power you carry, is it divine or demonic?"
Back on the field, Live Twin Ki-sikil stood on Suzune Ruri's side, looking remarkably similar to the blue-haired demon girl avatar from her VTuber persona.
Cyberse. Live Twins.
Amano had not expected Suzune to open with a pair-based Cyberse strategy in a duel where the Extra Deck Zone had not even been activated. From his dueling memory, the Live Twins were a combo package that needed the Link Zone to reach their full potential.
But looking at the various duel videos she had posted, her decks had no unifying logic. Any card featuring a female character was eligible. Different archetypes mixed freely without any concern for synergy. The fact that she could still produce genuinely competitive duels from that constraint made the professional foundation very clear.
"And now I activate Live Twin Ki-sikil's effect!"
[When this card is Summoned while you control no other monsters, this effect is a Mandatory Trigger. Special Summon 1 "Live Twin Lil-la" from your hand or Deck.]
"From my Deck, I Special Summon Live Twin Lil-la in Defense Position!"
[Live Twin Lil-la]
[Level 2 / DARK]
[Cyberse / Effect]
[ATK: 500 / DEF: 0]
The two twins stood together on Suzune's field, each one half of the same duo.
From what Amano recalled, the standard Live Twins line involved setting up Link arrows and proceeding to a Link Summon. He kept his eyes on Suzune's Duel Disk, watching to see whether an Extra Deck Zone would spontaneously appear.
It did not.
"I Set one card and end my turn."
What followed was Suzune striking an exaggerated idol pose at the streaming drones.
"The streaming energy is so intense!" Kuroshio Nagi commented.
"That's a top-tier streamer for you," Mizuki said, pulling up the live chat on screen. The comment feed was already blurring past in a wall of text.
[Ruri is so adorable!]
[Hey, she goes by Lilith Alpha now. Ruri is her retired pro name.]
[The girl cards she summoned are so cute!]
[Long live the girl cards!]
Kuroshio's exhausted eyelids twitched beneath her dark circles. "The chat is like a cult."
"My turn. Draw!"
Amano looked at his opening hand.
He had to laugh.
These cards really did have their own competitive instincts.
How was his entire hand girl cards?
"I activate the effect of White Ecclesia the Virtuous from my hand!"
[When your opponent controls more monsters than you do, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.]
"I Special Summon White Ecclesia the Virtuous in Attack Position!"
[White Ecclesia the Virtuous]
[Level 4]
[Spellcaster / Effect]
[ATK: 1500 / DEF: 1500]
What materialized on the field was not Ecclesia in her usual road-worn traveling clothes. She had changed into a fashionable short skirt entirely different from anything she had worn before. The card spirit flicked her golden ponytail behind her shoulder. Against the bright light of the duel field, her long smooth legs drew immediate attention.
Card spirits could choose their own outfits? This was genuinely new information for Amano.
Across the field, Suzune Ruri's carefully maintained streaming smile froze.
"She's... she's so adorable!"
The surprise of Ecclesia's alternate look snapped Suzune back to attention quickly enough.
"That is completely underhanded, Mizuki Mu! You pulled out a girl card cuter than mine. Are you trying to undermine my whole brand? In a battle of girl cards, I will not lose!"
Amano had no particular desire to turn this into a girl card competition. The spirits had simply decided to land in his hand on their own. But since they were here, they might as well be used.
"I Normal Summon Priestess Who Receives the Star Chalice in Defense Position!"
[Priestess Who Receives the Star Chalice]
[Level 2 / WATER]
[Spellcaster / Normal]
[ATK: 0 / DEF: 2100]
Eve materialized beside Ecclesia, wrapped in soft pale-blue currents of water magic, her expression clearly waiting for praise.
Suzune's instant reaction: "Flat."
Eve: "Amano, I am going to hit her."
Easy. Your ATK is zero.
Zero ATK said nothing about Ecclesia's, of course. Amano declared the Battle Phase.
"Go, Ecclesia! Attack Live Twin Ki-sikil!"
Ecclesia: "Got it!"
Raising her massive war hammer crackling with lightning, the holy warrior leapt and brought it crashing down toward the twin at zero DEF.
Suzune flipped her face-down card and activated both twins' effects in response.
[Ki-sikil: As long as this card is in the Monster Zone, your opponent must pay 500 LP to declare an attack.]
[Lil-la: As long as this card is in the Monster Zone, each time your opponent declares an attack, gain 500 LP.]
Amano LP: 4000 to 3500
Suzune LP: 4000 to 4500
The twins danced their exchange, and while one player's life points fell and the other's rose, a gap of a thousand opened between them.
Then Suzune flipped her Set trap.
"Protect my girl cards, girl card trap! Trap Card: Justi-Break! This turn, my monsters cannot be destroyed and take no battle damage!"
Whether Justi-Break qualified as a girl card was a matter of some debate. It had three female figures in the artwork, so perhaps technically yes.
Ecclesia's hammer came down against the protective barrier. The attack resolved into nothing.
"I Set three cards face-down. My turn ends."
"My turn. Draw!"
The field settled into a standoff. Four girl cards stared across at each other, and for a moment Amano had the distinct feeling that an extremely intense dispute was building in front of him.
"Alright, enough warming up. Time for me to go on the offense."
Suzune picked up both cards from her field and stacked them together.
No Extra Deck Zone. No path to a Link Summon. But with two Level 2 monsters on board, there was still another Summon method available.
"I stack both Live Twins together for an Xyz Summon!"
Two times two equals two stars.
The Xyz network's light converged above her field and resolved into a single number: 29.
"Born from the radiance of the data network, a charming little figure! Xyz Summon, Rank 2! Number 29: Mannequin Cat!"
[Number 29: Mannequin Cat]
[Rank 2 / LIGHT]
[Beast / Xyz / Effect]
[ATK: 2000 / DEF: 900]
[2 Level 2 monsters]
A pink cat girl sprang onto the field from the Xyz overlay, lithe and bouncing, landing with visible energy on Suzune's side.
"Now my attack stat is higher!"
Two monsters at five hundred ATK apiece had been stacked into a single two-thousand ATK cat girl. That was effectively a one-card Xyz Summon in terms of card economy.
Whatever claims she made about being purely an entertainment streamer, a former professional's fundamentals showed through when it mattered.
"Entering Battle..."
"Not yet! Before you enter the Battle Phase, I activate White Ecclesia the Virtuous's effect!"
Amano interrupted the sequence. Ecclesia's Tribute effect was usable during either player's Main Phase, and the window was open.
[During your own or your opponent's Main Phase, you can Tribute this card to Special Summon 1 "Swordsoul" monster or "Fallen of Albaz" from your hand or Deck.]
"I Tribute White Ecclesia the Virtuous! From my Deck, I Special Summon a monster!"
A sacred light passed through the field and into the deck. The card rose into Amano's hand as if answering a call.
"In Defense Position: Phantom Eye Swordsoul Mage!"
[Phantom Eye Swordsoul Mage]
[Level 8 / LIGHT]
[Spellcaster / Effect]
[ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2500]
The stream's ambient music cut out without warning and was replaced by a dramatic orchestral swell with a martial flavor. Against a storm-lit lake with lightning crackling overhead, the Swordsoul Mage appeared, wide-brimmed hat casting a shadow over her face, one hand already drawing her blade to cut through the thunder.
Suzune Ruri stared. "She's... she's so cool!"
"My DEF is higher now," Amano noted.
Between Eve's DEF of 2100 and the Swordsoul Mage's DEF of 2500, there was no angle through the front line even if Suzune re-entered the Battle Phase.
"Not quite! My girl card parade is just getting started, Amano Rei! I activate Number 29: Mannequin Cat's effect!"
[When this card is in the Monster Zone and your opponent Special Summons a monster, target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. Special Summon 1 monster from your hand, Deck, or GY with the same Type or Attribute as that target.]
The cat girl on Suzune's field struck a beckoning pose, one paw curled forward in an inviting gesture.
"I target your LIGHT Phantom Eye Swordsoul Mage and Special Summon my LIGHT girl card from the Deck!"
Light calling to light. Suzune's fingertip sent a card flicking into her Duel Disk.
"From the Deck: the supreme goddess of war herself! Athena!"
[Athena]
[Level 7 / LIGHT]
[Fairy / Effect]
[ATK: 2600 / DEF: 800]
Crowned in silver, sword and shield in hand, Athena descended onto the field in a wash of sacred radiance. Level 7, with 2600 ATK clearing the Swordsoul Mage's 2500.
Amano triggered immediately: "The moment you Special Summoned from your Deck, Phantom Eye Swordsoul Mage's effect activates!"
[Once per turn: When your opponent Special Summons a monster, choose one of the following based on where it came from.
Hand: Special Summon 1 monster from your hand.
Deck: Draw 2 cards.
Extra Deck: Destroy 1 of those Summoned monsters.]
"Your monster came from the Deck. I draw 2 cards!"
The Swordsoul Mage delivering a Pot of Greed. Very efficient.
"For my Normal Summon this turn: Power Angel Valkyria in Attack Position!"
[Power Angel Valkyria]
[Level 4 / LIGHT]
[Fairy / Effect]
[ATK: 1800 / DEF: 1050]
A second angel descended onto Suzune's field, white wings spread, long spear leveled.
"When a Fairy monster is Summoned to my field, Athena's effect activates! You take 600 damage!"
"Athena's Thunderclap!"
Divine lightning hurtled at Amano.
"Trap Card: Nuzzle's Magic Circle!"
[Nuzzle's Magic Circle]
[Trap Card: Until the End Phase, all effect damage dealt to this card's controller is reduced to 0.]
A pink-haired girl in a stuffed animal cap chanted quickly over a glowing sigil. Every point of incoming effect damage this turn dissolved into nothing.
Suzune clicked her tongue. "You're even blocking damage with a cute girl card trap. Are you seriously trying to out-girl-card me on every single level?"
"Purely a coincidence."
"My girl card chain is not done! When an Angel monster's effect activates on my field, I activate Guardian Spirit Logiaes from my hand!"
[When a Fairy monster's effect activates on your field, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.]
It was becoming genuinely difficult to call this a girl card chain at this point. The lineup had shifted almost entirely into Angels.
"Come forth, my most sacred card! Special Summon Guardian Spirit Logiaes in Attack Position!"
[Guardian Spirit Logiaes]
[Level 7 / LIGHT]
[Fairy / Effect]
[ATK: 2400 / DEF: 2100]
Four pink wings spread as the divine spirit descended onto Suzune's field in a wash of holy light.
"Your girl cards may be beautiful, Mizuki Mu, but mine are every bit their equal!"
Whatever one thought of the pure girl card credentials, a former professional filling her entire field in a single chain was an impressive display by any standard. No wonder her stream numbers stayed so high.
[Ruri is incredible, about to win again with her invincible girl cards!]
[The other side doesn't look that strong. How do they think they can copy our beloved streamer's style?]
[Send down the judgment of the girl cards!]
[I would love to get beaten up by girl cards too!]
Kuroshio Nagi had stopped reading the comments. The chat had moved beyond saving.
"My oshi absolutely will not lose to someone like this!"
"You have to stop her, Amano-bro!"
Suzune raised her hand. "I activate Guardian Spirit Logiaes's effect!"
[Target 1 face-up card your opponent controls and 1 of your own Attack Position monsters. Banish the target opponent's card, then change your targeted monster to Defense Position.]
"I banish Phantom Eye Swordsoul Mage, and switch Power Angel Valkyria to Defense!"
[Phantom Eye Swordsoul Mage: Banished]
[Power Angel Valkyria: ATK 1800 to DEF 1050]
At the cost of dropping one of her own monsters out of Attack Position, Logiaes had neatly removed Amano's strongest defender from the game entirely.
"Now attack! All my girl cards, come at him!"
Suzune entered the Battle Phase. Angels and a cat girl surged toward Amano's formation in a single wave.
"Guardian Spirit Logiaes attacks Priestess Who Receives the Star Chalice!"
"Holy Judgment!"
Divine radiance struck Eve's defense position. The Priestess dissolved into light.
Eve: "I lost a cuteness contest to a bunch of girl cards?!"
Eve, that was a straightforward ATK versus DEF comparison. Cuteness had nothing to do with it.
"Continue the attack! Number 29: Mannequin Cat, direct attack!"
The pink cat girl's claws swept across the field. The look was adorable. The physical feedback felt like fire.
Amano LP: 3500 to 1500
"And now Athena delivers the finishing direct attack!"
"Stop!" Amano raised his hand. "Before that last attack, I am using this trap to end the match!"
"End the match?"
"This farce ends now!"
The farce of whose girl cards were cuter.
Settled by the rarest, most precious, most iconic girl card ever printed.
"Trap Card: Dark Zone!"
[Dark Zone]
[Trap Card: When you take battle damage, Special Summon 1 DARK Spellcaster-Type monster from your Deck with ATK equal to or less than the battle damage you took.]
"I just took 2000 points of battle damage. I can Special Summon any DARK Spellcaster from my Deck with ATK of 2000 or lower!"
The damage had broken open a gateway of darkness. Black magical energy poured through it and flooded the field.
Exactly two thousand ATK. The perfect ceiling.
"Come out, the Dark Magician's most beloved apprentice!" Amano raised the card high. "Special Summon: Dark Magician Girl!"
The queen of all girl cards.
The girl card above all girl cards.
[Dark Magician Girl]
[Level 6 / DARK]
[Spellcaster / Effect]
[ATK: 2000 / DEF: 1700]
She touched down with a tap of her pointed boots, staff swinging into position as the Summon flash settled. One quick spin, wide wizard hat tilted at its signature angle, and she was standing there looking out at the field.
The live stream chat erupted instantly.
[She is beyond adorable!]
[I'm sorry Ruri, I have to switch sides. There is no defense against this.]
[Who is supposed to handle this?! That is literally the rarest girl card in the entire world!]
[Getting to see this card summoned with my own eyes. I have lived a complete life!]
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