Chapter 64

"Reveal the final set card, Ritual Magic [Summoning of the Guardian Hero]!"

Jonouchi, seeing a ritual card for the first time, was puzzled. "What's a Ritual Magic Card?" he asked, looking at the card in Hoshino's hand.

"It's a special kind of magic card used to summon ritual monsters," Yugi explained, also watching Hoshino's card. "Ritual summoning requires a ritual magic card, a ritual monster, and meeting certain conditions, which usually means ritual monsters have powerful abilities."

"Is it really that strong?" Jonouchi clenched his fists in excitement after hearing Yugi's explanation. "Go for it, Hoshino, don't lose!"

Jonouchi, now fully supporting Hoshino, was eager for her victory.

[Ritual Magic Effect of Summoning of the Guardian Hero: ① Sacrifice monsters from your hand or field whose total levels equal or exceed the ritual monster's level. Ritual Summon 1 [Heroic Spirit] Ritual Monster from your hand.]

"I sacrifice [Heroic Spirit - Asterios] from the field to summon my ritual monster!" Hoshino announced.

"Only a 3-star monster?" Yugi was surprised. Sacrificing only a 3-star monster means the summoned ritual monster can only be 3-star or lower. How could a low-star monster turn the tide? "Hoshino, you are an intriguing duelist!"

Hoshino placed the ritual monster from her hand onto the table and declared, "Ritual Summon, [Heroic Spirit - Shakespeare]!"

[Heroic Spirit - Shakespeare ★★★ (3 stars) Light][Spellcaster/Ritual/Effect ATK: 0 DEF: 0]

"Is that the monster Hoshino summoned?" Jonouchi asked, still confused.

"Shh, quiet, Jonouchi!" Anzu hushed him. "Hoshino is trying her best; let's just watch."

"Activate [Heroic Spirit - Shakespeare]'s special effect! When this card is successfully summoned, reduce all monsters on the opponent's field's attack power by 1000 points."

Shakespeare, emerging from the ritual light, held his classic works as the effect activated.

[Dark Guardian ATK 3800→2800]

"So that's your final card? Even with the attack power reduced, the Dark Guardian is still stronger than your monsters!" The Labyrinth Brothers laughed mockingly at Shakespeare's 0 ATK and 0 DEF. "What's the point of this ritual monster, it has no battle power!"

"Indeed, I'm just a writer, fighting isn't my specialty!" Shakespeare agreed with a nod.

"But!" Shakespeare's expression turned serious. "My writings are more enduring than diamonds!"

"Activate [Heroic Spirit - Shakespeare]'s special effect!" Hoshino declared, lightly touching the card.

"I can feel the warmth of my master's touch, it's wonderful!" Shakespeare exclaimed, closing his eyes. "I see the ending, but the true climax begins now!"

[②: Release this card from your field; Special Summon 1 [Heroic Spirit] monster from your deck.]

"The moment of performance has arrived; there should be thunderous applause (First Folio)!!!"

With Shakespeare's declaration, the previously empty field lit up like a stage, full of energy.

"Release [Heroic Spirit - Shakespeare] and Special Summon from the deck!" Hoshino announced, placing a new monster card onto the table.

"Hahahahaha!" Laughter filled the air before the figure appeared.

"Uh, that laugh sounds familiar!" Okita, who had been silent, suddenly realized.

"It is I, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, Oda Nobunaga!" Nobunaga descended dramatically onto the stage. "What a splendid entrance, I'm very satisfied!"

"Special Summon [Heroic Spirit - Oda Nobunaga]!"

[Heroic Spirit - Oda Nobunaga★★★★★★★★ (8 stars) Fire][Warrior/Effect][ATK 2900 DEF 2500]

[This card cannot be Normal Summoned.]

"So it's Nobunaga!" Okita exclaimed, looking at the descending Nobunaga.

"Okita, you're in trouble now. If you can't handle this, you're truly weak." Nobunaga teased.

"Hey, Honda~" Jonouchi whispered to Honda. "Oda Nobunaga, that's the famous historical figure from Japan, right?"

"Yeah, the legendary Demon King of the Sixth Heaven who nearly unified Japan!" Honda nodded. "But..."

"She's a girl?!" They whispered in disbelief.

"Hahaha, is this your best, Hoshino Chiyuki?" The Labyrinth Brothers mocked. "Even if Nobunaga's attack power is higher than the Dark Guardian's now, remember the Dark Guardian's special effect. If you attack, your attack power will drop to zero!"

"Nobunaga, can you handle that monster?" Okita, provoked, pointed at the Dark Guardian.

"Hahahaha, Okita, what nonsense!" Nobunaga laughed. "Of course not!"

"Nobunaga..." Yugi looked at Hoshino, concerned.

"Heh, I get it now." Yugi noticed the burning determination in Hoshino's eyes. "Sorry, Hoshino, I underestimated you. You're not just interesting."

"But a true duel master!"

Feeling the stage's excitement, Hoshino reached for her cards. The star symbol on her glove shone brightly, guiding her to victory. "The time is ripe, now is the moment to reclaim all my strategies!"

"Watch closely, Yugi. My strongest proof of strength will be ending this duel right here and now."

"The time has come. Now is the moment to reclaim all my strategies."

Hoshino reached out to the monster summoned face-down in the previous turn, her eyes fixed on the Labyrinth Brothers' hand.

"This card is the initial setup I laid down for victory!" Flipping the covered monster card, Hoshino declared, "Flip Summon, [Heroic Spirit - Mata Hari], and activate Mata Hari's flip effect!"

[Heroic Spirit - Mata Hari ★★ (2 stars) Dark][Fiend/Effect][ATK:500 DEF:500]

[When this card is Flip Summoned successfully, release this card from your field (as a tribute), declare 1 card name to activate. If the declared card is in your opponent's hand, add the declared card to your hand.]

The alluring and seductive Mata Hari gracefully emerged from the card. Her revealing attire and perfect figure, along with her angelic and innocent face, instantly captured Jonouchi and Honda's attention.

"I can't believe there's such a sexy duel monster." Honda wiped his mouth and asked Jonouchi, "If there are extras of this card, can we ask Hoshino for one? Even if I don't duel, I'd like to keep it as a collectible."

"Great minds think alike." Jonouchi nodded vigorously, agreeing with Honda's sentiment.

"Hehe, my dear master, what card are you going to take this time?" Mata Hari teased, licking her rosy lips as she looked at the serious Hoshino. "Choose carefully, or Mata Hari will have to punish you, master."

"Don't worry, I won't choose wrong." Hoshino's voice was filled with unparalleled confidence.

"I declare! Your magic card!" Without hesitation, she pointed at the card held by the Labyrinth Brothers and accurately declared, "You have it in your hand, [Polymerization]!"

"!!!" Everyone was shocked by Hoshino's declaration.

That's right, the Labyrinth Brothers definitely had [Polymerization] in their hand, because...

("It's not over yet. Activate Magic Card, [Fusion Recovery]! Add [Maze Lightning Summoner] and [Polymerization] from the Graveyard to my hand.")

"So, you were setting this up from that moment!" Gripping [Polymerization] tightly, the Labyrinth Brothers looked at the girl in front of them with disbelief. Unconsciously, the image of this girl duelist in their eyes grew more formidable. How powerful must her mind be to devise such a strategy?

But rules are rules, and despite their reluctance, [Polymerization] ended up in Hoshino's hand.

"Indeed, the so-called miraculous comeback always involves this card!" Satisfied, Hoshino placed [Polymerization] on the table with great force. "Labyrinth Brothers, this is the last card I play in this duel!"

"Fusion Summon [Heroic Spirit - Okita Souji] and [Heroic Spirit - Oda Nobunaga] from the field, along with [Heroic Spirit - Spartacus] from my hand!" Sending Spartacus to the Graveyard, Hoshino looked at the two on the field.

However...

"Fusion, what kind of fusion?" Okita asked, looking at the equally confused Nobunaga.

"Fusion? Are we supposed to dance some weird dance, master?" They turned to Hoshino, who was watching them.

"Probably not, I think just physical contact will do." Hoshino, not fully understanding the mechanics of [Polymerization], believed no special ritual was necessary once activated.

"Just physical contact?" Nobunaga, eager to try, looked at Okita. "Ready, Okita?"

"All set, Nobu!" Okita replied with equal enthusiasm.

"Here we go, fusion!!" x2

As soon as the words were spoken, Nobunaga smirked mischievously. Clenching her right fist, she swung with all her might at Okita, "You must be kidding, Okita! Do you think I'd just touch you? If we need to make contact, take this punch!"

Okita's surprised expression quickly turned into a relieved smile, "I didn't expect this, but we're on the same page!"

With their right fists clenched, they simultaneously swung at each other with perfect cross-counter punches on the grand stage.

"Fu-sion!!"

The contact between Okita and Nobunaga was enveloped by the fusion's light. The brilliance was so intense that it outshone the stage's dazzling lights. As the stage returned to its original state, the light transformed into a spiral of dark energy, converging at a single point before dissipating. From the dissipating energy emerged a tall silhouette.

"Did it work?" Hoshino excitedly said, looking at the figure appearing on the field, "The final battle-use Heroic Spirit, adjusted for a single moment of brilliance! Its name is..."

"My name is..." The emerging figure, although with the same face as Okita Souji, gave off a completely different aura.

"Majin-Okita Souji(Alter)!!"

Drawing her long sword and pointing it at the Dark Guardian, Majin-Okita Souji's calm voice carried immense power, "I shall sever all evils in this world and expel all aberrations! I am the enforcer of the counter force!"

"What, the final battle-use Heroic Spirit?! It's just a fancy name!" The Labyrinth Brothers tried to maintain their composure, but the oppressive force from Majin-Okita Souji made their words lose all impact.

"Prepare to die, Dark Guardian, aberration of the world!" Holding her large sword horizontally in front of her eyes, Majin-Okita Souji slightly bent her body.

However, in the next second, her figure vanished from everyone's sight.

"Pole Star!" The ultimate footwork that allows full strength in any space, in an instant, Majin-Okita Souji appeared before the Dark Guardian.

" I will pierce the infinite world...I will sever the thread of destiny with this boundless light!!" No one could count how many slashes Majin-Okita Souji unleashed, as the golden light of her strikes spread like a dense web, enveloping the Dark Guardian.

"Immeasurable!, Unhindered!, Unbound!," Her swift movements left a blazing spark on the duel arena floor. " the three luminous fluxes forms together eternally. Decisive Blade!"

"Impossible, the invincible Dark Guardian can't be destroyed by any monster!" Even as the Dark Guardian was enveloped by countless slashes, the Labyrinth Brothers refused to admit defeat.

With a splendid 180-degree turn, Majin-Okita Souji's position was fixed, visible terrifying energy gathered in her large sword named [Rengoku], "Uhh…What was it again…? Uh~~huh…I forgot! Eat this! Somewhat amazing!"

"BEAAAAAAAM!!!"

The black energy shot out like a laser from the sword, effortlessly piercing the Dark Guardian's massive body.

The sharp energy not only pierced the Dark Guardian but also the Labyrinth Brothers behind it.

Labyrinth Brothers LP: 950→0

"How about that, Yugi!" Hoshino's once serious face transformed into a bright smile as she turned to the stunned Yugi beside her, "See, I won!"

(*****)

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