Chapter 162

"Go, [Silent Magician LV8]!"

Receiving the starlight left behind by [Silent Magician], Akasha quickly placed the LV8 card from her hand onto the duel disk.

"Can you really summon an LV8 monster directly?" Mokuba was incredulous. "I thought monsters with level descriptions could only level up gradually through the effects of lower-level monsters."

With a serious expression, Akasha focused intently on her field, where her ace monster was about to appear. "Because the card says 'ignore the summoning conditions for a special summon,' this summon is valid."

[Silent Magician LV8 ★★★★★★★★ (8-star)] [LIGHT] [Spellcaster/Effect] [ATK 3500/DEF 1000]

[This card is unaffected by your opponent's Spell cards.]

Brighter than Silent Magician, the white-robed LV8 radiated an overwhelming presence, showcasing the powerful aura of a top-tier monster.

"This monster doesn't rely on any effects, and it already has an attack power of 3500," Mokuba said, visibly surprised, probably comparing it to Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"Hey, we just beat a 3500-point monster, and now there's another one? Do these high-level monsters come for free or something?" Emiya grumbled, his face twitching with frustration.

"Silent Magician LV8, attack Emiya on the opponent's field!" Since Silent Magician LV8 was special summoned during the battle phase, it was allowed to declare an attack.

Pointing her small hand forward, Akasha finally felt like she was fighting alongside her duel monster.

"Silent Magic Burst!" The white magic gathered on LV8's staff shot out, this time without flashy dust clouds, directly obliterating Emiya on Hoshino's field.

[Heroic Spirit - Emiya] destroyed.

[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 2650 → 1450]

The blast from LV8 not only destroyed Emiya but also shaved off most of Hoshino's remaining Life Points.

"I didn't expect that move! You're really strong, Akasha-chan," Hoshino complimented, shielding her arm to fend off the magical impact.

Hoshino, who had thought her three set cards were enough to turn the tide of the battle, was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of Silent Magician LV8.

"So, this is your true monster, huh? It's a pretty good card."

"It's not over yet." After seeing Silent Magician LV8 successfully attack, Akasha quickly slapped another card onto her duel disk. "After the battle phase, I activate the Spell card [Final Flame]."

[Final Flame Card Effect: Inflict 600 damage to your opponent.]

"The effect of this card is so simple and brutal?!" Hoshino frowned slightly, sensing that things weren't as straightforward as they seemed.

Even though Hoshino reminded herself that these were just virtual images, when the realistic flames truly began to burn her…

"Ouch, ouch, ouch—what is this?!" Sure enough, it was hard for the brain to distinguish between reality and illusion.

[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 1450 → 850]

"And next, I activate the Spell card [Ookazi]." Without hesitation, Akasha activated another Spell card.

[Ookazi Spell Card Effect: Inflict 800 damage to your opponent's Life Points.]

"!!!" A fiercer blaze than before enveloped Hoshino's body.

"Master, are you alright?" Even Medea Lily couldn't help but turn around in concern after two consecutive fire attacks.

[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 850 → 50]

"If it weren't for your healing earlier, Medea, it would've been really dangerous!" Hoshino laughed after the flames subsided—though it was a bitter laugh from being in a tough spot.

"No wonder Akasha-chan looked so frustrated when I restored my Life Points last turn; this deck's true strategy is right here." Akasha's deck was designed to deal massive damage through direct or indirect effects. As long as there were enough damage-dealing cards, she could defeat her opponent with effect damage without giving them a chance to react.

Even more terrifying, Akasha's deck not only pressured her opponent's Life Points but also controlled the field. Normally, decks focusing on direct damage would mainly use defensive monsters, but Akasha had managed to do both, applying pressure to both Life Points and the battlefield.

"These cards are banned! The duel disk shouldn't even allow these cards to be activated!" Mokuba panicked even more than Hoshino after seeing the two cards played.

"The rules of Battle City clearly prohibit using Spell cards that deal direct damage. The duel disk should automatically block the activation of such cards!"

"Huh? There's a ban list? I had no idea." Hoshino's mouth opened in surprise; this was the first time she'd heard of a ban list in this world. She'd always assumed there wasn't one.

"It's on Battle City's official website! Don't you check the web, Hoshino?"

"The web? I don't even have a phone, let alone a computer—how am I supposed to check?!" Hoshino retorted angrily, feeling wronged. "You rich kids should be more considerate of us poor people. At least find another way to inform us!"

"I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn." Amid their heated discussion, Akasha had already finished her turn.

Akasha's remaining hand cards: 0

"At least the remaining cards aren't direct damage spells, or I'd be done for already." Seeing Akasha end her turn, Hoshino let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"This duel should be declared null and void. As the event organizer, I'm calling for an end to this duel." Clearly unwilling to accept a duel involving banned cards, Mokuba loudly tried to halt the match.

"There's no need for that, Mokuba. I'll win, you'll see." To Mokuba's surprise, Hoshino stopped him from acting like a "Champion of Justice."

"Make sure to fix this later. If the Rare Hunters can bypass the duel disk's system to use fake cards, then they can certainly use banned cards the same way," Hoshino analyzed calmly. "But I'm not giving up this duel."

"But, Hoshino, your Life Points?!"

"Thanks for the concern!"

"It's my turn, draw!"

"Medea!" As soon as she drew her card, Hoshino immediately called out to Medea on the field.

"I'm ready!" With perfect coordination, Medea instantly unleashed her Noble Phantasm.

[Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can activate this card to restore 1000 Life Points.]

"Pain Breaker!"

[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 50 → 1050]

"Thank goodness you're here, Medea..." With two healings barely pulling her back from the brink of defeat, Hoshino felt like she had narrowly escaped death.

"Don't let your guard down, Master!" After finishing her Noble Phantasm, Medea put away her magic wand and looked seriously at Akasha's field.

"There could be more direct damage attacks like before. If Master doesn't find a way to heal more, another one of those attacks could finish you off, especially since..."

Medea trailed off, realizing that Hoshino surely understood the situation better than anyone.

Not only was her Life Point total dangerously low, but standing on the other side was the formidable Silent Magician LV8, who was unaffected by spell cards and boasted an attack power of 3500.

"Medea, the last thing we need now is to panic. Let's solve these troublesome problems one by one," Hoshino said, drawing a card with the calm authority of a seasoned general.

"First, let's deal with the critical issue of my Life Points."

After all, in Duel Monsters, Life Points are the top priority. No matter how strong your field control is, once your Life Points hit zero, the duel is over.

"First, I activate the Spell Card [Monster Reborn] to revive [Heroic Spirit - Artoria Pendragon Lily] from the graveyard!"

A radiant light of resurrection shone across the battlefield, revealing a road blooming with flowers and the dignified figure of the noble young knight.

[Heroic Spirit - Artoria Pendragon Lily ★★★★ (4 stars)] [LIGHT] [Dragon/Effect] [ATK 1200→1500/DEF 800→1100]

"I deeply apologize, Master. I was too careless and got defeated." The little angel, Saber Lily, apologized with a face full of regret the moment she reappeared on the field.

"Victory and defeat are part of battle. Just give it your all again!" Seeing Saber Lily back on the field, Hoshino deftly began searching her deck.

"According to Saber Lily's special effect, when she's successfully Special Summoned, I can add one Heroic Spirit monster from my deck to my hand. The card I'm adding is..."

After a quick search, Hoshino selected a key card that would help her turn the tide.

"Heroic Spirit - Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lil...Oof, I almost bit my tongue! This name is way too long!" Hoshino, who had always found Jeanne's tongue-twister name amusing, finally understood it wasn't Jeanne's fault—it was the name itself that was hard to say.

"Anyway, I'll add [Jeanne Alter Santa Lily] to my hand!" Hoshino said, opting to use a shorter nickname rather than trying to say the full name again.

"Next, I'll Tribute [Heroic Spirit - Medea Lily] on the field to Normal Summon [Heroic Spirit - Jack the Ripper] from my hand!"

"Good luck!" With her hands clasped together, Medea quietly prayed as she vanished in a glowing light of tribute.

[Heroic Spirit - Jack the Ripper ★★★★★★ (6 stars)] [DARK] [Zombie/Effect] [ATK 800→1100 / DEF 1000→1300]

[This card is also treated as a [Lily].]

"Mommy, Jack is here to help!" The newly summoned Jack appeared, full of excitement.

"Mommy?" Mokuba looked shocked at how Jack addressed Hoshino, then his expression quickly turned into one of disgust. "I can't believe you have this kind of hobby, Hoshino..."

Waving her knife playfully, Jack pointed toward Mokuba. "Mommy, should I cut him up?"

"No need, I'll handle him myself later." Hoshino shot Mokuba a sharp glare before continuing with her moves.

"Since I sent [Heroic Spirit - Medea Lily] to the Graveyard as a Tribute, I can trigger the effect of my Field Spell [Wonderland]!"

[Wonderland Field Spell Effect: When a [Lily] monster you control is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon one [Lily] monster from your Deck.]

"Come forth, [Heroic Spirit - Nursery Rhyme]!" Hoshino summoned the card she had swapped into her deck with Wonderland last turn, bringing Nursery Rhyme back onto the field.

[Heroic Spirit - Nursery Rhyme ★★★★ (4 stars)] [DARK] [Spellcaster/Effect] [ATK 800→1100 / DEF 800→1100]

[This card is also treated as a [Lily].]

"And since Nursery Rhyme was Special Summoned, I can add one Lily Spell Card from my deck to my hand. I'll add the Spell Card [Voyage of Flowers]!"

"Lastly, I'll activate [Jeanne Alter Santa Lily]'s special effect that I just added to my hand!"

[If you control two or more [Lily] monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.]

"Come forth in Attack Position, [Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lily]!"

[Heroic Spirit - Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lily ★★★★ (4 stars)] [LIGHT] [Fairy/Effect] [ATK 1000→1300 / DEF 800→1100]

"Why did you skip part of my name? At least say it all!" Jeanne Alter Lily complained, pouting the moment she appeared on the field.

"Wow! Jack and Jeanne are here! Even Saber Lily has been revived! This makes Nursery Rhyme so happy~!" With all the children filling up the field, Nursery Rhyme was starting to ramble excitedly again. "Come play! Come play with Nursery Rhyme~!"

"Now's not the time for playing, Nursery Rhyme!" Hoshino, placing her hand on Nursery Rhyme's card, shot a glance at Jeanne Alter Santa Lily.

"Please, Jeanne Alter Lily!"

"Hmph, allow me to show you what a real Santa Claus can do!" Jeanne swung her silver lance gracefully, her eyes full of determination.

"Sacred Night, a momentary and unstoppable lovely Miracle… Sing elegantly, For that sacred birthplace is La Grâce Fille Noël!"

"Wow! So many gifts! So many gifts!" Nursery Rhyme's eyes sparkled as she looked at the beautifully wrapped toys and snacks falling from the sky.

[When this card is Special Summoned, you can recover Life Points equal to the number of [Lily] monsters you control x300.]

"With four Lily monsters on the field, I recover 1200 Life Points!"

"ShanShanShan♪--ShanShanShan♪--ShanShanShan♪--ShanShanShan♪" Jeanne's lance radiated a warm, comforting magical energy as she raised it high.

[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 1050 → 2250]

"Bet you didn't see that coming, Akasha-chan. I've returned from the brink of death!" Hoshino, finally able to breathe easier, no longer had to constantly worry about Akasha's direct-damage cards.

"Even small spirits can provide a lot of healing~," she said, smiling at her stacked field of loyal Heroic Spirits.

Akasha blinked, slightly stunned by Hoshino's swift recovery. She had thought the duel was all but over, but now it seemed that Hoshino had not only regained Life Points but also filled her field with powerful Lily monsters.

Still, Akasha's calm, stoic face didn't show any signs of panic. Instead, she simply tightened her grip on her duel disk, determined to keep pushing forward.

"This duel isn't over yet, Hoshino-nee," Akasha said softly, her voice steady, eyes resolute.

"Of course not," Hoshino responded with a grin, already planning her next move.

The duel had taken several dramatic turns, but now both duelists were back in the game, ready to face whatever the next phase would bring.

(*****)

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