Chapter 87

"Activate the Spell Card from my hand, [Bond Between Teacher and Student]!" The puzzle piece for Yugi's victory likely involved the cards thrown onto the table.

[Bond Between Teacher and Student Spell Card Effect: ①: Can only be activated if you have a "Dark Magician" on your field. Special Summon 1 "Dark Magician Girl" from your hand, deck, or graveyard.]

"Hehe~" With Yugi activating the Spell Card, the Dark Magician Girl, who had been in the graveyard, was brought back to the field in defense position because the Dark Magician was present, and she playfully jumped to stand beside him.

[Dark Magician Girl DEF:1700]

"Summoning [Dark Magician Girl] in defense mode... Is this the puzzle piece for your victory?" At such a critical moment, Hoshino couldn't afford to focus on the cute appearance of the Dark Magician Girl.

"Don't be too hasty, Hoshino," Yugi, with a calm demeanor, pointed to the Spell Card [Bond Between Teacher and Student] on the field. "The effect of my card isn't over yet. Let's continue activating the Spell Card's effect!"

[②: After that, you can add 1 "Dark Magic Attack," "Dark Burning Attack," "Dark Burning Magic," or "Dark Magic Twin Burst" from your deck to your hand.]

"..." Hoshino, slightly embarrassed, watched Yugi recite the long list of effects and said, "As expected of Yugi, being able to recite such long and complex card names in one go."

"Although they're long and sound a bit pretentious, these cards seem tough just by their names..." However, despite her joking tone, Hoshino was internally aware of the trouble brewing.

"Hmm, the card I'll add to my hand is [Dark Burning Magic] from my deck." Swiftly and adeptly, Yugi searched his deck and drew the final piece of his victory puzzle. "Now, with the combined attack of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on the field, let's bring this duel to a close! Activate the Spell Card from my hand, [Dark Burning Magic]!"

[Dark Burning Magic Quick-Play Spell Card Effect: This can only be activated when there are monsters on your field whose original names are "Dark Magician" and "Dark Magician Girl." Destroy all cards your opponent controls.]

With a simple and brutal effect, the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on the field gathered their magical power after the activation of the Spell Card. With a force greater than any single "Dark Magic Attack" or "Dark Burning Attack," the duo launched a massive energy attack like a Spirit Bomb.

"Is it over..." Mai Valentine couldn't bear to watch the scene on the field, knowing how devastating the effect of destroying all cards on the opponent's field would be for Hoshino. "There's nothing Chiyuki can do with no cards on the field; she's completely out of options."

"Even though you couldn't defeat Yugi, Chiyuki, you did your best!" Mai clutched the railing in the spectator area tightly, comforting Hoshino on the stage.

"Mai, it's not over yet!" Unexpectedly, despite the impending Dark Burning Magic attack, Hoshino showed no sign of despair in her eyes. "Could you not surrender on my behalf prematurely? It's troubling, you know~"

"Hm?" Hearing Hoshino's complaint, Yugi frowned in disbelief. "Given the current situation, do you still think you have a chance, Hoshino?"

"Yugi, do you think I would make such a meaningless struggle?!" Hoshino slapped her hand hard on the empty spell and trap card zone, glaring at Yugi, who believed he had already won. "Today, I'll show you what it means to turn the tables! Empty field! Card creation!"

"Empty field? Card creation? Hoshino, what are you joking about..." However, Yugi, who initially thought Hoshino was just being stubborn, suddenly froze when he saw the scene in front of him.

Because he truly saw that Hoshino's previously empty spell card zone was now emitting a faint glow.

Although the glow seemed faint to others, in Hoshino's eyes, it was the holy light, the only hope for survival in a dire situation.

"Go, Andersen! I'm counting on you!" Hoshino shouted towards the faint glow in front of her, entrusting her last hope.

"Seriously, making a weak writer like me deal with such an attack." From the faint glow, the short figure of Andersen appeared, holding a book and quill, furiously writing something.

Despite his grumbling, the tsundere young Andersen was busily writing with no sign of reluctance, "Even though my high-speed incantation is only E-ranked, I'm now going all out!"

"Mr. Andersen!" Mash, who had been ready to face the Dark Magician's deadly attack alone, turned back excitedly to look at Andersen. She knew that if she was the only one left on the field, she wouldn't be able to block Yugi's upcoming tidal wave of attacks. "Please, Mr. Andersen, protect everyone!"

"Enough, I'm doing it." Andersen, quickly writing and visibly nervous, had beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

"But I finally made it in time, more urgent than an end-of-month deadline!" As if he had finished writing something, Andersen threw the heavy book into the air with all his might. "Go, this is the story I've written for you (Märchen Meines Lebens)!"

"Hoshino, what are you trying to do..." Yugi could hear the conversation among the Servants on the field, but he was still confused. He didn't know where Andersen had come from or what his purpose was.

"You, with the starfish hair, listen up!" Andersen, having completed his task, pointed his quill at the bewildered Yugi. "This is my masterpiece, poured into with all my strength. Although I just wrote it, each page represents the 'perfect form' of this duel that I wanted to showcase!"

Andersen's Noble Phantasm, [Märchen Meines Lebens], originally grew in power with the progression of the manuscript. A few pages could only cause minor coincidences, but when the entire manuscript was complete, it would bring the targeted thing to the "best form" envisioned in Andersen's mind.

"To think he wrote an entire book in those few seconds!" Even Hoshino found it hard to believe that Andersen could do this, "If you could write this fast before readers started demanding updates, wouldn't you be free from monthly deadlines?"

"Quiet!" Andersen scolded Hoshino angrily. "This is a rare, massive update. Don't call me out for such troublesome matters next time!"

While the others were talking, the previously fearsome Dark Burning Magic had disappeared without a trace.

"Heh heh," Andersen looked pleased as he watched the sky (ceiling) return to normal, his body gradually dissipating into golden particles. "The script has been rewritten, master. If you can't win now, I won't forgive you!"

"Of course," Hoshino answered firmly to the already vanished Andersen, proudly showing Andersen's card to Yugi. "Yugi, this card represents the small yet immense hope that changed the course of the battle!"

[Heroic Spirit - Hans Christian Andersen★★ (2-Star) Light] [Spellcaster/Effect][ATK:1000 DEF:200]

[①: This card can be set as a Continuous Trap Card in the Spell/Trap Zone. ②: While this card is face-up on the field, all [Heroic Spirit] monsters gain 300 ATK and DEF. ③: When this card in the Spell/Trap Zone is destroyed by an opponent's effect, you can Special Summon this card. ④: If an effect that would destroy cards on the field is activated, you can release this card to negate that effect and destroy it.]

"Because my Andersen was destroyed by your card's effect, his effect was triggered, allowing a special summon to block your finishing move, Yugi." Hoshino slowly placed the Andersen card into the graveyard and continued, "Seeing that you hid [Chaos Scepter Blast] in your hat and summoned [Dark Magician of Chaos], I realized the easiest way to destroy my [The Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens] and [Fou of The Sun] was to directly wipe out my back row. That's why Andersen was my insurance in the back row!"

"You learned from my strategy, Hoshino. That's impressive." Yugi, wide-eyed in disbelief, looked at Hoshino. "Even while dueling me, you keep growing. You're a woman full of potential."

"You shouldn't call a young lady in her prime a 'woman,' Yugi," Hoshino retorted with a shake of her head.

"Heh, sorry about that," Yugi apologized with a smile. "Even though you negated my [Dark Burning Magic], it's an undeniable fact that your [The Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens] were destroyed."

"Plus, without [Fou of The Sun] to support [Okita Sōji]'s attack, you can't withstand my next attack!" Yugi declared, thrusting his hand forward to start the battle phase. "Attack, Dark Magician!"

[Dark Magician ATK:2500]

Facing the oncoming Dark Magician attack, Okita Sōji gulped hard, complaining, "He's just 100 points stronger than Okita-san. This debuff is so annoying; can I manually remove it?"

Okita reached out, attempting to remove the [Weakness] counter on herself but failed.

"It's useless, Yugi. As long as Mash is in defense mode on my field, you can only target her." Hoshino waved her hand, ordering Mash to intercept the attack. "Block it, Mash!"

"Yes, senpai!" Holding her heavy shield, Mash quickly moved in front of Okita. "Please step back, Okita-san!"

"Transient Wall of Snowflakes!" The shield, imbued with magical energy, bore mysterious patterns and sturdily withstood the Dark Magician's attack.

"Mash's defense mode prevents her from being destroyed. What an unusual monster," Pegasus mused, switching his crossed legs to ease the numbness. "Considering the situation, every one of Hoshino's monsters communicates. If they were just card spirits, she must be truly loved by them to have so many guarding her." His interest in Hoshino grew as he muttered to himself.

"Hoshino, I know Mash's effect well. While she can block this attack, like my [Big Shield Gardna], she must switch to attack mode after being attacked." Yugi declared another attack. "Now, without back-row defenses, let's see how you block [Dark Magician of Chaos]'s higher attack power!"

[Dark Magician of Chaos ATK:2800]

"Attack, Chaos Destruction Spell!" The Dark Magician of Chaos twirled its ornate staff, unleashing a powerful black energy blast from the staff, resembling a miniature 'Dark Magic Attack.'

"Why does the attack always come towards Okita-san? Can't you show some care for Emiya-san, who's also on the field?" Okita glanced at Emiya, who shrugged with a 'because your attack is higher' look, and closed her eyes, resigned to the incoming attack. "I'm doomed. Okita-san is done for."

However, the expected destruction never came.

"What's happening? Is the Destruction Spell not painful? It looked terrifying," Okita wondered, looking at her still intact hands and body. "Not hurt at all, haha, it doesn't hurt!"

"Ouch!" Okita heard a low groan from in front of her.

Guessing what had happened, Okita slowly looked up to see Saint George standing before her, his body pierced by the black energy.

"I activated the effect of [Heroic Spirit - Saint George] from my hand..." Hoshino, unwilling to look at the groaning George, picked up her card. "During an opponent's attack declaration, it can be Special Summoned from the hand to block the attack."

"What an attack! It hurts so much!" Despite his sturdy-looking armor, Saint George was always easily defeated(again). Though accustomed to being sent to the graveyard, he hadn't expected this attack to be so extraordinary.

"According to [Dark Magician of Chaos]'s effect, monsters destroyed by it aren't sent to the graveyard; they are removed from play," Yugi recalled Saint George's brave stand against the Labyrinth Brothers, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Saint George."

"So I can't even go to the graveyard this time. It's a miserable fate for a Saint," Saint George muttered as his body, starting from the wound, was gradually consumed. "If I had the chance, I'd want to become my alter form."

[Heroic Spirit - Saint George] Banish

"How about that, Yugi? I blocked it!" Hoshino placed George's card in the banished zone, feeling a pang of guilt at the scene. "I promise, next duel, I'll make sure you last more than a turn, Saint George."

"Nicely done, Hoshino." Drawing a card, Yugi placed it face-down, ending his turn.

"My turn, draw!" Shaking off the brief sadness, Hoshino's eyes gleamed with determination, her hand full of cards and three monsters on the field. "This turn is the perfect moment for a counterattack!"

Most importantly, with Andersen rewriting the script, a duel that should have ended in Yugi's victory had now ventured into uncharted territory.

"It's time to use this card!" Hoshino played a card, and unexpectedly, a bright red light shone from the back of her right hand.

"Is this a Command Spell? It's quite pretty~" After the light faded, a vibrant red seal was imprinted on Hoshino's hand. "Activate Continuous Spell Card from my hand, [Chaldea Mana Support System]!"

"The mana is flowing. Let's finish this, Master!" Emiya declared, feeling the surge of power.

"Go all out, Emiya!" Hoshino raised her hand with the Command Spell, shouting, "Unlimited Blade Works, deploy!"

(*****)

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