"Miles, you'll choose me, right?"
Ren was betting everything she had, combining a pitiful plea with the fact that she was an extremely cute girl.
"Damn it, this fog's influence is stronger than I thought!"
Aisha covered her face and hurriedly stepped back two paces. If Miles could have seen her, he would have noticed her fair cheeks flushed red for the first time under his control.
Ren was clearly under the deep influence of the strange mist.
And for the first time, Miles felt a real sense of crisis. The barrier created by three Millennium Items was no joke. If this went on, he might really fail to resist Ren's allure—and the allure of her HERO cards—and lose himself.
"This isn't the time to hide behind Mr. Miles anymore!"
The golden light of the Millennium Puzzle flashed again. With the sign of Soul Exchange, Ren felt Miles retreat back into the Soul Room.
"Ow!"
Having nearly fallen to temptation, Miles 'escaped' into the Puzzle, only to feel a sharp pain in his shin.
Dark Aisha, sharing the Soul Room with him, was kicking him furiously, aiming only for his shins.
"Aisha, wait! Hiss—this really hurts!"
This time, she didn't even call him her usual 'scumbag.' Dark Aisha was truly furious.
Her puffed-up face might have been cute enough to pinch, but Miles didn't dare try.
"You jerk, Miles, you terrible jerk!"
"Don't be mad, Aisha. I admit… It's definitely the mist's fault!"
Back in the Soul Room and free from the barrier fog's influence, Miles returned to clear thinking.
Ren was obviously acting from the darkness in her heart, twisted by the mist.
Even if he had agreed to her, it wouldn't have been an answer to her real feelings—it would have been accepting that distorted mindset.
However, that was easy to say from here.
Once back in the fog, Miles couldn't guarantee he'd stay as clear-headed.
Human desire, hidden deep in the heart, was far scarier than any demon.
So better to leave it to Aisha.
Because a woman in a love rivalry could be terrifying too.
"Aisha?" Sensing Miles had returned to the Puzzle, Ren gripped it tighter.
"Give it back," Aisha demanded, eyes full of resolve. "It's mine—return it!"
"But we're best friends, aren't we?"
"Give it back and we'll still be friends. If not… we're done!"
It was like a childish argument, tossing 'best friend' and 'never speaking again' around.
But Ren was sharper now, having caught the hint from the sudden Soul Exchange.
"Oh! I get it. You were afraid Miles would choose me, so you forced the swap, right? You're interfering with his choice!"
"Ugh…"
In her haste, Aisha had only thought to threaten with 'no longer friends,' leaving her stumped now.
Ren pressed the advantage.
"See? Miles still prefers my HERO Deck. Using your weak Deck full of small fry must be exhausting for him."
"That's not true… I'm not weak…"
"Hiding behind others is just who you are. You hid behind me before, and now you hide behind Miles. Of course, it's not shameful for the weak to be protected."
"That's not it, Ren-chan…"
"Either way, if you hand Miles over, he and I will protect you together. Good deal, right? I get Miles, he gets his favorite Deck, and you get better protection. No one gets hurt!"
"Absolutely not!"
Aisha's outburst shocked even Ren—it was like the quiet one finally snapping.
"Ren-chan, you don't understand at all. I might be protected by him, but I'll never just hide behind him. I'll always fight alongside Mr. Miles!"
"You?"
The Spirit Eyes, already loaded with her Deck, shone in her determined green gaze.
"Yes, me! If you won't believe it, I'll prove it in a duel! I'll show you I won't lose to this strange, desire-twisted version of you!"
"A duel? Interesting!"
Loading her HERO Deck into her own Spirit Eyes, Ren responded with excitement.
"So you mean whoever wins gets Miles? Fine by me. He may like my HERO Deck more, but I'll prove the difference between us fair and square."
"This…"
Aisha paused—agreeing meant risking losing Miles.
"Hahaha, scared already? Typical you. Realizing you're weak and even fearing the duel you started—do you really deserve to fight alongside him? Fighting together is just your wishful thinking!"
"I accept!"
Her fighting spirit rekindled—not because of Ren's taunt, but because Aisha resolved to prove she was the better host for Miles.
This wasn't fate… it was a promise.
For all the times Miles had fought to uphold their first promise, now it was her turn to fight to protect him.
"Ren-chan, I will defeat you!"
"Bold words, considering you've never beaten me once in your own duels."
Ren had lost to Aisha once in an academy test duel—but only because Miles had piloted Aisha's Deck.
Every duel they'd fought since childhood, Ren's win rate against Aisha was 100%.
"I'm not the same as before, Ren-chan!"
"Funny, neither am I!"
Both raised their Spirit Eyes, the crossing lights initiating duel mode.
Miles Battle—Duel!
Dark Aisha calmed down after much beating and venting out, said, "Miles, who do you think will win?"
"Probably Ren."
Because just moments ago… he had indeed seen a HERO in Ren's Deck that Aisha had no way to beat with her current cards.
...
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