Chapter 124

"Let's hope it's real, Hero's Sword!" Hoshino gripped the Hero's Sword tightly, silently praying in her heart.

In the eerie atmosphere, the glow from the sword's blade gave her a reassuring sense of comfort.

"BB, can you help me analyze this sword?" Although it was called the Hero's Sword, Hoshino had no idea how to use it. She couldn't just charge in and slash at the Five-Headed Dragon blindly.

"No problem, give BB one minute." BB smiled easily and immediately entered the sea of data.

"Hoshino, do you think the Hero's Sword you got from the Arena will work?" Mokuba asked doubtfully.

At first, Mokuba had assumed this was a key item needed to clear the game. But after BB's explanation, it was now clear that this wasn't a world made of data. This meant the Hero's Sword wasn't some key item but a real legendary artifact.

As for how it had been passed down—whether it was a tool created by some con artist to make money or a relic of humanity's millennia-old fears—no one could say for sure.

But one thing was certain—the Hero's Sword had never slain the real Five-Headed Dragon, or else it wouldn't still be standing before Hoshino and the others now.

"The more I think about it, the more unreliable it seems." Hoshino swallowed nervously but, with steely resolve, lifted the sword and pointed it at the Five-Headed Dragon.

[Five-Headed Dragon ATK 10000 → 5000]

Due to the end of the turn, the Five-Headed Dragon's doubled attack points reverted to 5000.

"If that's its attack power, we might just stand a chance!" It wasn't an unreachable 10,000 points anymore. If it was just 5000 points…

"From my hand, I summon my final Light-attribute Dragon monster: [Heroic Spirit - Artoria Pendragon Lily]!" This card, which Hoshino had spent 1000 gold coins on, was the only monster remaining in her deck that could take the field. "Now, witness the true power of a player who pays to win!"

[Heroic Spirit - Artoria Pendragon Lily ★★★★ (4-star)][Light][Dragon/Effect][ATK 1200/DEF 800]

"No way, we can't win. There's absolutely no way." Lily, with an innocent smile on her face, resolutely refused Hoshino's request.

"What? Lily, you're my last hope!"

Hoshino, devastated by the refusal, pleaded with her, "The legendary King of Knights can't give up so easily!"

"Hmm? But Lily is just a half-baked knight still on her journey of training, far from being a true knight," she replied with a gentle smile.

"But..." Seeing Lily's pure expression, Hoshino couldn't bring herself to press further. After all, with just Lily, there was no way they could defeat the Five-Headed Dragon.

"Then, Lily, can you use this Hero's Sword?" Hoshino asked.

"Nope, Master!" Lily cheerfully declined again, leading Hoshino to suspect that the seemingly innocent girl might be a bit sly.

"Monster cards can't use real-world equipment. If it were a card, then... well, cards can use equip-type cards, but this sword is meant for a hero, not a king."

"For a hero, not a king..." Hoshino mused. The sword was called the Hero's Sword, after all, so that made sense. "But if monster cards can't use it..."

"Master, the analysis of the Hero's Sword is complete!" BB suddenly broke her silence and waved her baton lightly. "Now BB will display the data for you, Master."

[Hero's Sword - Equipment: A legendary sword that can only be wielded by someone with the title of [Hero]. The wielder's attack power increases by 1000 points, and they gain the power to destroy all evil.]

Unlike standard Duel Monster equip card rules, the Hero's Sword was a more romanticized object, looking more like a real artifact from legend.

"Master!" Perhaps seeing the confusion in Hoshino's eyes, Lily spoke gently, like an angel. "Even though Lily is still on her journey of training, I feel like I'm growing stronger with every step."

"Hmm?"

"Traveling is such a strange thing. Sometimes it's joyful, but most of the time, it's tough. But if it weren't tough, it wouldn't count as training, would it?"

"When I look back, every step I've taken wasn't in vain. Every experience has given me real strength for the future."

"So, Master, reflect on your journey. I'm sure you'll find the answer to your doubts."

[Journey of the Flowers EX]: Though the journey is tough, this small yet great hope is bound to bring peace and happiness to the world.

("Hehehe, I'll sell you this dragon girl for just 1000 coins."

"Your final card has no effect, Beowulf!"

"The champion of the King's Colosseum is born! It's our rising star, Hoshino Chiyuki!"

"Young girl, take this Hero's Sword!")

"I see... I think I understand now, Lily." Hoshino, who had intended to hand the Hero's Sword to Lily, pulled it back, realizing something important.

"Monster cards can't use it. Only a real hero can wield the Hero's Sword—it was destined from the start."

"This is the Hero's Sword that I won with my strength. It belongs to me!"

"I am the true hero, Hoshino Chiyuki!"

Hoshino took off her Duel Disk and handed it to Mokuba, then tied her Heroic Spirit deck back onto her thigh.

Why did Da Vinci set up a time-limited mission in this world?

Why was Hoshino's Duel Disk system modified into a Phantasm Summon system?

Why did they send Elizabeth to the Dragon God's Domain?

Why could only a true hero wield the real Hero's Sword?

All the questions from her journey were interconnected. The seemingly complex chain of events finally collided and canceled each other out, revealing the final answer.

"Have you finally understood, Master?" Seeing Hoshino's newfound confidence, BB smiled warmly for once. "You sure took your time figuring out how to win. You are slow, Master."

"A good game takes time to enjoy. Especially one prepared by both you and Da Vinci, just for me."

"Now, it's time for my battle!" Hoshino drew a card and, with one hand holding the Hero's Sword, crossed it with the card in her other hand.

"This is the true Dream Summon. This is the battle of a true hero."

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Dream Summon]!"

[Quick-Play Spell Dream Summon Effect: Send the [Heroic Spirit] Fusion Monster materials from your hand or field to the Graveyard, or as a substitute, banish [Heroic Spirit] monsters from your Graveyard to Fusion Summon one Fusion Monster.]

"Are you going to...?" Kaiba, eyebrows furrowed, cautiously asked as he watched Hoshino wield the sword and card.

"Sorry, but from now on, call me 'Hero Hoshino.'" The card in Hoshino's hand began to emit starlight particles, refracted through the Hero's Sword, illuminating her body.

"Just sit back and watch, human," BB, wearing a relaxed smile, leaned forward and laughed. "This isn't some second-rate delusion. What comes next is the Hero's job."

"Using the effect of Dream Summon, I fuse [Heroic Spirit – Elizabeth Báthory] and [Heroic Spirit – Elizabeth Báthory (Caster)] from my Graveyard!"

"Now, appear! O great Heroic Soul!"

The light refracted through the Hero's Sword enveloped Hoshino, gradually revealing her bare skin as her clothes dissolved.

"Fusion Phantasm Summon! Install – Elizabeth Báthory (Hero)!"

[Heroic Spirit – Elizabeth Báthory (Hero) (Hoshino) ★★★★★★★★ (8-star)][LIGHT][Dragon/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2400 → 3400/DEF 2500]

After the successful fusion, the once featureless Hero's Sword now bore a red gemstone embedded in its center, glowing crimson in harmony with the round shield in Hoshino's other hand.

Unlike the near-naked outfit when she used the Emiya card, the standard red and green RPG hero attire left only her thigh exposed due to the short skirt, with her deck strapped to her leg.

"Phew, at least it's not as embarrassing as that outfit," Hoshino said, glancing down at her heroic attire with a sigh of relief.

"The Hero, that detestable Hero aura!" To everyone's surprise, the previously silent True Five-Headed Dragon finally spoke in a low, sinister tone. "A Hero who failed a hundred years ago is now standing before me again, Surima?!"

"Surima? Why does that name sound so familiar..." Hoshino tilted her head, trying hard to recall the name mentioned by the dragon.

"It's Grandma!" Mokuba, with his genius memory far outstripping Hoshino's, instantly recalled the origin of the name. "That desert city's mayor, Lady Surima, who gave you the Hero's Sword!"

"Grandma? So she was a Hero too..." Hoshino awkwardly twitched her mouth, unable to imagine Grandma wielding the Hero's Sword against the Five-Headed Dragon.

"But that was a hundred years ago! Just how old is Grandma now?" Jounouchi, equally baffled, likely envisioned the same humorous scene as Hoshino.

"No, I'm not the Surima you're talking about. Remember this well: I am the new Hero, Hoshino Chiyuki!" Denying the dragon's words, Hoshino swung the now-heavier Hero's Sword with determination. "And I am the strongest Hero who will defeat you!"

"Empty words. So, Surima eventually gave up struggling? Humans, after all, live such short lives." Though the True Five-Headed Dragon's expression couldn't be seen, its tone was full of disdain toward humanity. "And you, young Hero, will meet the same fate as Surima."

"Though I don't know what happened in the war a hundred years ago, let me tell you something, Five-Headed Dragon." Hoshino's voice grew more impassioned.

"Hmm?"

"Grandma—Lady Surima—never gave up!" As Hoshino's emotions surged, the red gemstone on the Hero's Sword glowed even brighter, gathering the remaining magic in the air.

"For a hundred years, the soul of the Hero has never faltered, and now it has finally been passed to me!"

"A thousand years of longing will end today!"

"If you think you can, then come prove it, Hero!" The Five-Headed Dragon's furious roar echoed throughout the Dragon God's realm, as its five multi-colored heads opened wide, and its enormous body stretched out even more menacingly.

"BB, can you analyze the conditions for victory in this battle?" Before making her move, Hoshino cautiously consulted BB one last time.

"Master, you don't need to overthink it anymore." BB looked at Hoshino with an unusually serious gaze.

"If I had to name a condition for victory, it's simple: the Hero just needs to slay the evil dragon!"

"Such a straightforward victory condition!" With the Hero's Sword now fully charged with magic, Hoshino unleashed its energy along the blade, a pure white aura swirling around it.

"Prepare yourself, Five-Headed Dragon! Today, this world will witness the legend of the Crimson Hero!" Bending low and pushing off the ground, Hoshino used the recoil to launch herself forward at high speed.

"Does she have enough attack power?" Kaiba watched Hoshino charge directly at the dragon with some concern.

"A brash young Hero with no strategy is rushing to her death." The Five-Headed Dragon, unimpressed by Hoshino's seemingly meager attack, launched a counterattack from its lightning-covered head.

Bam!

The lightning strike was swiftly blocked by the round shield on Hoshino's left arm, with the crimson magic surrounding it absorbing the force of the attack.

"Oh? You managed to withstand my attack? You've got some skill, Hero." For the first time, a hint of surprise appeared in the dragon's voice as the remaining four heads swiftly joined in the assault.

Like a flower blooming amidst despair, the Hero's Sword expertly slashed through each of the Five-Headed Dragon's strikes.

"Hoshino… she's so strong!" Jounouchi, mesmerized, couldn't believe how Hoshino managed to match the Five-Headed Dragon blow for blow despite the vast difference in their attack power.

"Jounouchi, look at the card hidden behind Hoshino's shield," Kaiba, having spotted something, smiled knowingly.

Following Kaiba's hint, Jounouchi closely observed the subtle glow from the card concealed behind Hoshino's Hero's Shield.

[Quick-Play Spell Hero Creation Effect: Target one [Heroic Spirit] monster you control. Until the end of this turn, that monster gains 1000 ATK/DEF. If it battles a monster, double the battle damage dealt to your opponent.]

[Heroic Spirit – Elizabeth Báthory (Hero) (Hoshino) ATK 3400 → 4400]

"So that's it! Well done, Hoshino!" Jounouchi whispered excitedly, trying to keep the Five-Headed Dragon from noticing the trick.

"Is that Merlin's power?" Lily, sensing a familiar magic, showed a flash of joy in her eyes.

"A clever hero using tricks will ultimately fall to me no matter what you do!" The Five-Headed Dragon ramped up its assault, still confident that it wouldn't lose despite Hoshino being stronger than expected.

However, no matter how much the Five-Headed Dragon intensified its attack, Hoshino deflected every blow as though she were a seasoned general on the battlefield.

"How… how is this possible? My power is higher. Why can't I defeat you?" The Five-Headed Dragon, now visibly flustered, began to lose composure.

"Finally feeling fear, Five-Headed Dragon?"

"I told you, your time is up!" Leaping high into the air, Hoshino crossed over all five dragon heads and raised the Hero's Sword high above her head. "This strike will surpass the evil of the world!"

"Activate Elizabeth (Hero)'s special effect!"

[When this card battles, draw one card. The drawn card is revealed to both players, and this card gains the following effect based on the type of card drawn:]

[- Spell Card: Gain 1000 Life Points.]

[- Trap Card: Heroic Spirit monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle this turn.]

[- Monster Card: This card gains 1000 ATK for the rest of this turn.]

"This is the Legend of the Crimson Hero EX!" Hoshino leaped into the air and, with lightning-fast speed, drew a card from her deck.

The card spun in the air, much like a tarot card, revealing the fate of humanity and the world itself.

At that moment, everyone present seemed to forget how to breathe, desperate to see the true form of the spinning card just one second sooner.

Time seemed to freeze, with the only movement being the Hero's Sword in Hoshino's hand, glowing even brighter!

"The card I drew is... a Monster Card! [Heroic Spirit - Spartacus]!" The card stopped in mid-air, revealing Spartacus's muscular body.

"According to Elizabeth (Hero)'s effect, since I drew a Monster Card, this card's ATK increases by 1000!"

[Heroic Spirit – Elizabeth Báthory (Hero) (Hoshino) ATK 4400 → 5400]

"It worked!" The crowd cheered in unison, shouting with excitement. "Finally, she's surpassed the Five-Headed Dragon's attack power!"

With her attack power increased the Hero's Sword in Hoshino's hand transformed into a massive sword of light constructed purely from magic. The sword's blade, nearly piercing the ceiling, was held high by Hoshino, who was still suspended in the air.

"It's over, Five-Headed Dragon, the Evil of the World!"

With a powerful downward swing, Hoshino brought the enormous sword of light crashing down. The glowing blade sliced cleanly through the Five-Headed Dragon's body, leaving a blinding mark that split the dragon in half. From this mark, the dragon's body began to crumble and disintegrate.

"Impossible! How could I, the embodiment of all the world's negative emotions, the undying and eternal Evil of the World, lose to a human hero?!" The dragon's final roar echoed throughout the Dragon God's realm, causing it to tremble.

"The Evil of the World! The hope of this world has completely surpassed the fear you once ruled over." Hoshino, now sheathing her Hero's Sword, looked solemnly at the crumbling Five-Headed Dragon before her.

"Your defeat today signifies the will of humanity to resist and the determination to survive!"

(*****)

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