Chapter 108

"Lord, bear witness to my resolve!" Completely caught up in the excitement, Hoshino no longer cared about the supposed Lord's feelings. Her punches came down like a torrential storm, hammering Tarasque's dragon body with relentless, blinding speed.

Tarasque's dragon body could barely withstand the high-intensity iron-fist barrage, but the three zombies trapped within it couldn't. Each punch landed with bone-crushing force, sending shockwaves rippling through Tarasque's massive body. The wind pressure alone was enough to force blood from the zombies' every orifice.

"She's... terrifying," Yugi muttered, as he and Mukoba stood frozen in shock, their mouths agape. It was hard to reconcile the quiet Hoshino they knew with the relentless fighter before them.

"Wow, that's the boss's punches. Hoshino is amazing!" Jonouchi's focus was entirely different.

"You got it, Jonouchi! This punch is sacred, reserved for those with the purest faith..." Hoshino, feeling a bit tired from the punching, decided to give the zombies the final blow.

[Effect ②: At the start of the battle phase, when this card attacks an opponent's monster, you can tribute one Dragon-Type monster you control, destroy that opponent's monster, and inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's original attack.]

Holy power, concentrated severalfold on Hoshino's fist, exploded on Tarasque's body like a light bomb. "Sorry, Tarasque, please sacrifice yourself for the Lord!"

"This is the holy light that can purify everything!"

"Iron Fist Holy Judgement!"

The helpless zombies were obliterated, reduced to nothing more than a smoldering pile of debris. Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Hoshino smiled brightly at the three, "I didn't expect purifying evil creatures to be this tiring, but they shouldn't be able to revive now."

Wide-eyed and shivering, the three huddled together, their horror deepening as they watched Hoshino cheerfully dismantle both the zombies and their understanding of her. They nodded like robots, terrified of doing anything to displease her.

"Everyone's acting so strange. The zombies are gone, so why are you still so scared?" Shaking her head in confusion, Hoshino bent down to pick up the golden cards left behind by the zombies.

[10 Gold Coins] x2

[20 Gold Coins] x1

"It looks like this 20 gold coin card dropped from the big pumpkin." Noticing the zombie blood on the card, Hoshino wiped it on her saintly dress. "It's just a disposable outfit, anyway," she murmured.

[Hoshino accumulated 60 gold coins]

"Let's move on, everyone~" Brimming with energy, Hoshino called out to the others and took the lead toward the city. Probably due to leaving the battle, Martha's outfit on Hoshino reverted to her original short skirt.

"Uh… okay!" The three answered weakly, dragging themselves along.

As they entered the bustling desert city, NPCs in colorful headscarves called out from stalls overflowing with exotic wares. The scent of spices and roasted meats filled the air, mixing with the vibrant chatter of the marketplace. The air buzzed with the lively chatter of women and children, adding to the city's vibrant atmosphere.

"Wow, this feels so real. Is this a game world?" Hoshino, full of excitement, stood on the city's central fountain, looking around. "They even have food stalls here. I wonder what eating in a VR game feels like?"

"Hoshino seems to be enjoying herself," Mokuba whispered with a twitching mouth, "I hope she doesn't forget we're here to rescue my brother."

"But finding someone in such a big city seems very troublesome." Yugi, stroking his chin, frowned at the bustling crowd.

"Not very optimistic, especially since we have no clues." Jonouchi also understood that searching for someone in this city was like finding a needle in a haystack.

"Let's split up and gather information." Jumping down from the fountain, Hoshino suggested, "We can ask around if anyone has seen a stranger dressed like us."

"Yeah, that's a good idea!" The NPCs here wore traditional desert attire, so if Kaiba had passed through, someone would have noticed.

"It seems Hoshino is quite reliable after all~" With a renewed sense of purpose, Mokuba felt a bit more cheerful.

"Of course, I've completed countless RPGs while staying at home!" Hoshino closed her eyes and nodded proudly, reminiscing.

"But won't it be dangerous if we split up, especially for a girl like you—" Jonouchi's voice faltered as the image of Hoshino pulverizing the zombies flashed in his mind. He quickly swallowed his words.

"Don't worry, in a typical RPG city, it's usually a safe zone. As long as you are not the MC, there won't be any problems!" Turning around, Hoshino gave them an OK sign and headed to the other side of the city.

"Alright~" Jonouchi sighed deeply, watching Hoshino's retreating figure.

Then, the three scattered in different directions.

"Hmph, those three are so gullible~" Hoshino, who had left first, chuckled, "They didn't even notice I have all the gold cards. Now it's time for some fun shopping~"

Shopping was second nature to Hoshino, even as a shut-in who often had packages delivered daily. Now, having entered the virtual world, it would be a shame not to check out what this other world had to offer.

While standing at the central fountain earlier, Hoshino had already spotted the nearest shopping street. Heading there immediately, the gold cards in her pocket were already heating up from being handled so much.

"Come, come, get your grill lizard tails!"

"Cheap desert clothes, greatly reduce your blindness rate!"

"Free trial of card-drawing oil! Rub it on your hands and guarantee every draw is a good one. Money-back guarantee if it doesn't work!"

"It's so lively!" With her eyes almost not enough to take in everything, Hoshino happily walked through the shopping street, "It's true, the other world sells things you've never seen before. This trip was worth it!"

"Hey, little girl over there, come take a look…" Finally, after walking for a while, an old woman trying to attract customers noticed Hoshino.

"Granny has some rare cards for sale~" The eerie voice seemed to have a magical pull on Hoshino.

"A store selling cards? How interesting," thought Hoshino. It made sense that a game based on Duel Monster cards would have such shops, so she decided to check it out.

"Granny, what kinds of cards do you have here?" Hoshino asked, glancing at the display board outside the shop. They were almost identical to the Duel Monster cards she usually used. However, unlike the usual packs, each card here had a marked price below it.

"Hehehe!" Seeing Hoshino couldn't resist her curiosity and came over, Granny smiled happily. "Little girl, you don't look like you're from here. I'm sure you wouldn't be interested in the junk cards displayed at the shop entrance."

Hoshino took a closer look at the so-called junk cards Granny mentioned.

[Steel Ogre Grotto #2★★★★★★ (6 stars)][Earth][Machine][ATK1900/DEF2200]

[Spike Seadra★★★★★ (5 stars)][Water][Sea Serpent][ATK1200/DEF900]

[Enchanting Mermaid★★★ (3 stars)][Water][Fish][ATK1200/DEF900]

Indeed, these were flashy but essentially useless normal monsters. Their stats did not match their star levels. They might be good for fooling kids at Kame Game Shop, but Hoshino was not so easily impressed.

"Hehe, these are the ultra-rare cards in the store~" Granny whispered mysteriously, pulling out a beautifully crafted card from her sleeve. The emerald green dragon on the card instantly caught Hoshino's attention.

[Luster Dragon #2★★★★★★ (6 stars)][Wind][Dragon][ATK2400/DEF1400]

It was indeed an excellent card, but...

"Sorry, Granny, I can't use this monster." Although the Luster Dragon #2, a 6-star monster, had attack power close to the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Hoshino wasn't willing to spend money on such a card.

"Mm!" A look of surprise flashed across Granny's face. It was the first time someone had rejected this card without even asking for the price. "I didn't expect it, little girl. At such a young age, you have great insight. If the [Luster Dragon #2] doesn't interest you, it must mean nothing less than the best will do."

"If you don't have anything rarer, I'll be on my way, Granny." Time was limited, and Hoshino didn't want to spend it all in one shop. She was also very interested in the card-drawing oil she had seen earlier.

"No, don't go, I have more cards!" Granny seemed panicked as she saw Hoshino about to leave. "If the [Luster Dragon #2] didn't interest you, then I'll have to show you my most treasured, one-of-a-kind card."

"Then show me quickly." Growing impatient, Hoshino couldn't imagine what one-of-a-kind card this shop could have.

"Hehehe~" Granny, regaining her mysterious smile, reached back into her sleeve, "I found this card near the Dragon God's domain a few days ago. I guarantee you've never seen it before!"

A finely crafted orange-yellow card emerged from Granny's sleeve.

Seeing the card, Hoshino, who had been impatient a moment ago, instantly became excited.

"Granny, how much for this card? I'll buy it. Please sell it to me!" Eyes wide, Hoshino eagerly inquired about the price.

"Hehehe, I knew you were a discerning customer. The value of this card is not easy to see for most people~" Granny pleased that her card had caught Hoshino's interest, smiled even more proudly.

"But, Granny risked her life to get this card from near the Dragon God's domain, so it's not cheap!" Using the typical seller's tactic, Granny feigned difficulty, obviously aiming to raise the price.

"Stop wasting time, Granny, just tell me how much it is!" Young and inexperienced, Hoshino fell right into the trap, her eagerness making it clear to Granny how much she wanted the card.

Raising an aged finger, Granny's already wrinkled eyes narrowed to slits.

"10 gold coins?" Hoshino guessed.

Granny shook her head.

"100 gold coins?!" Hoshino exclaimed. Although it exceeded her 60 gold coin balance, she could gather the rest by fighting a few monsters.

"No, not gold coins!" Granny's shocking answer and sudden shrewdness completely stunned Hoshino.

"1000 gold coins? Why not just rob a bank? It'd be simpler!" Before coming to this shop, Hoshino had understood the prices in this world. A meal cost less than 1 gold coin, yet this merchant wanted 1000 gold coins for one card, which was outrageous.

"Hehe, business is all about mutual consent." Granny laughed, seeing Hoshino hesitate at the price, and pretended to put the card back in her sleeve. "If you think the price is too high, maybe you and this dragon girl card aren't meant to be. I'll just wait for the next buyer."

"Wait, Granny, I'll buy it!" Panic surged as Hoshino imagined someone else snatching up the card. "But I don't have enough coins now. I need to gather more money. Please don't sell it to anyone else!"

"Hehe, seeing how sincere you are, Granny will wait for you for a day. I won't sell it to anyone else today." Knowing Hoshino had taken the bait, Granny was unhurried. Selling a card for 1000 gold coins was a rare chance, only feasible by deceiving an outsider like Hoshino.

As she left Granny's card stall, all thoughts of shopping vanished from Hoshino's mind. Her mind raced, desperate to figure out how she could earn 1000 gold coins in just one day. But the most baffling thought was...

"Why in the world is a Saber Lily card being sold in this VR game?!" Heroic Spirit cards were different from other market-released cards. Even if the game had in-app purchases, they should only offer officially released products.

Thinking about it, Hoshino, considering her unusual way of using cards, felt the answer was obvious.

Opening the system, Hoshino saw it.

[Limited-time event [Dragon God Domain Adventure] is now live!!]

[Clear the Dragon God Domain to obtain exclusive rare Servant cards~]

(*****)

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