"Let me see… Hehe, is it finally about to start?"
A few hundred meters outside the thick fog, Luca Slint stood beside the unconscious Megan. After giving her a couple of kicks to confirm she wasn't dead, she ignored her entirely and turned her gaze toward the dense fog in the distance.
That direction was exactly where Ren and Aisha had begun their duel.
Within this strange, massive fog, only two types of people could see through its obscuring effect.
One type was like Ren, already deeply influenced by the mist, having freed and acknowledged their own inner desires.
The other was Luca herself—the caster who used the Millennium Ring to release this fog barrier.
From her position, though separated by hundreds of meters, she only needed to focus some of her mana into her eyes and ears to clearly observe Ren and Aisha's duel.
"Though you lost badly, Megan, your last bit of value has been wrung dry. Dragging Aisha Carlos's best friend into darkness—Ah, I just love seeing that kind of lovers-turned-enemies drama. So satisfying!"
Without a hint of courtesy, Luca plopped herself down right on top of the unconscious Megan, using her as a human chair.
"This is actually a pretty good spectator spot. Before I settle things with you once and for all, Aisha Carlos, why don't you suffer a bit more? What's the saying again… 'kill with a borrowed knife,' or was it 'drive away the tiger and swallow the wolf'? Eh, doesn't matter."
Hugging her knees, wrapped in mismatched black-and-white stockings, ready to enjoy watching Aisha struggle against her best friend, Luca suddenly caught a strange scent.
"Huh? Who left a bag of fried glutinous rice balls here? One of them looks like it's been stepped on… but the rest are fine. What a waste to just throw them away!"
Not only had she found the perfect viewing spot, but she even had snacks to go with it.
"Mmm, what is this? It's super delicious!"
Taking a big bite of the still-warm fried glutinous rice ball, Luca's face lit up with a pure, girlish smile, looking just like any ordinary child—
—That is, if you ignored the striking scar at the corner of her eye, and the fact she was sitting on an unconscious woman… such a bizarre combination.
Bathed in shining light, Ren—who had seized the first turn in the battle for Miles—drew from her Spirit Eyes Deck.
"I'm not holding back in this duel, little Ai. You're going to get 120% of my full-force beatdown!"
"Calling it a beatdown is going a bit far."
Even so, facing Ren's overwhelming presence, Aisha still swallowed nervously.
"That idiot, how many times have I told her… no matter what, you can't lose in terms of presence."
In the Soul Room, Miles sighed in exasperation, drawing a disapproving glare from Dark Aisha.
"Miles, you're the biggest idiot of all."
Starting her turn, Ren glanced at her opening hand and immediately performed a Normal Summon.
"Feel it again—the lightning of a Hero! I summon Elemental HERO Sparkman in Attack Position!"
[Elemental HERO Sparkman] Level 4│LIGHT│Warrior│1600 ATK
Though there was no difference in attribute from the Sparkman Ren usually summoned, this time the Hero standing amidst the fog exuded an indescribable, oppressive darkness.
"Hehe, even a Hero representing light has been corroded. This Millennium Ritual's barrier is much stronger than I imagined."
From afar, Luca, amused by the altered Sparkman, happily grabbed another rice ball.
"In this dark barrier, no one can stay untouched—not even you, Aisha Carlos! Fall into darkness, fall fast!"
Then, in a sudden mood shift, the capricious blonde vented her grudge against Aisha by taking a vicious bite out of the rice ball in her hand.
"I end my turn."
Ren's first turn ended after summoning just Sparkman—no set cards, nothing—yet she looked completely relaxed.
"Ren-chan?"
"Strange? That's because I believe in you more than anyone, little Ai."
Her smile was equal parts teasing and toying.
"I believe that even if I leave just a plain monster on the field, you still won't be able to do a thing."
"You'll regret that! My turn, draw!"
Taking over with the second turn, Aisha's eyes turned serious the moment she drew.
And then, she promptly gave up on attacking.
"I set one monster in face-down Defense Position and end my turn!"
Though she hated to admit it, even with Ren only summoning a vanilla Hero, Aisha still couldn't do anything as the player going second.
Without Miles's absurd luck, trying to draw an attack card from a defense-oriented deck on the first turn was incredibly difficult.
"Hahahaha, I almost regretted that! As expected of you, little Ai!"
Ren laughed so hard she slapped her thigh, leaving red marks on her pale skin.
"So this duel is meaningless. It just shows Miles how big the gap between you and me is. My turn, draw!"
This time, Ren had no intention of wasting her turn.
"I'll make Miles see that choosing me is the better choice. Watch me—me and my brand-new Heroes!"
Opening the Pandora's box of Evil HEROes, Ren's entire HERO Deck was now steeped in an unfathomable darkness.
Even the Polymerization Spell she played next was different.
"Spell Card, Dark Fusion, activate!"
[Fusion Summon 1 Fiend Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or field as Fusion Materials. The Special Summon cannot be targeted or destroyed by your opponent's effects this turn.]
Dark Fusion's artwork still depicted the iconic Elemental HERO Avian and Burstinatrix.
"Ren-chan?"
Aisha stared in shock.
The swirling black vortex expanding from Ren's feet was the complete opposite of the justice and light her Heroes once represented.
"I fuse Elemental HERO Clayman from my hand with Elemental HERO Sparkman on the field!"
Using Thunder Giant's usual materials, Ren performed a Dark Fusion Summon, easily calling forth the slumbering Evil HERO from her Pandora's box.
"Dark thunder that brings ruin—shatter all before you! Dark Fusion Summon! Evil HERO Lightning Golem!"
[Evil HERO Lightning Golem] Level 6│LIGHT│Fiend│2400 ATK
Still possessing the LIGHT attribute, but now a Fiend, allowing it to be summoned via Dark Fusion.
With his massive, darkened body, Lightning Golem radiated a terrifying pressure far beyond his original HERO form.
"Evil HERO? What's going on, Ren-chan? This isn't normal!"
Ren Austin had been changed by the fog—not just her deck, but herself.
"Normal or not doesn't matter. What matters is this power, and facing my desires head-on. I've never felt better! Evil HERO Lightning Golem's effect, activate!"
[Once per turn: Target 1 monster on the field; destroy that target.]
More direct and brutal than the original Thunder Giant, Lightning Golem could destroy any monster once per turn—no cost, no restrictions.
"Crush that hiding monster! Voltic Ball!"
A crackling black sphere shot from his hands, obliterating Aisha's set monster without even flipping it. All that remained was a charred tofu-like block.
"You're too weak, little Ai. Accept it already."
Ren pointed straight at her, declaring the Battle Phase.
"Direct attack! Hell Lightning!"
Black lightning wrapped around Aisha, detonating with explosive force. Even without being a Shadow Game, the blow sent her flying into the fog.
[Aisha Carlos, LP: 4000 → 1600]
The very first exchange had cut her Life Points by more than half. On the foggy ground, her fingers clawed in frustration.
"Give up, little Ai. Miles wouldn't want to see a duel that's just bullying."
From the sidelines, Luca whispered gleefully, "Don't give up—I do want to see it! Hit her harder!"
"No! This duel's just getting started."
Aisha got back up, dusting herself off.
"Just getting started? Let me guess—your hand's full of useless low-level monsters. Otherwise, you wouldn't have just set Mokey Mokey and ended. Honestly, that deck of yours—only Miles can make it work."
"…"
As her childhood friend, Ren knew her too well, leaving Aisha no room to argue.
"I end my turn."
Ren had no faith that Aisha could fight back with such a hand.
"My turn, draw!"
If she couldn't find an answer with this draw, Aisha would lose without even resisting—losing Miles in the process.
"Please… my deck!"
Peeking through her tightly closed eyes, Aisha finally saw hope.
"Ren-chan, I have my own way of fighting… different from Miles's! Spell Card, activate: Unexpected Dai!"
[If you control no monsters, Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from your Deck.]
"Since I have no monsters, I Special Summon the Level 2 Normal Monster, Crowned by the World Chalice!"
[Crowned by the World Chalice] Level 2│LIGHT│Spellcaster│0 ATK / 2100 DEF
A solid defender, though even 2100 Defense meant nothing to Lightning Golem.
"Your strategy is just turtling with monsters?"
"No. I also Normal Summon the Level 2 Normal Monster, Happy Lover!"
[Happy Lover] Level 2│LIGHT│Fairy│800 ATK / 500 DEF
A cute angel with a pink heart above her head fluttered beside the priestess.
"Two Level 2 monsters on the field—here I go!"
"What?!" Ren gasped.
"No way!" Luca was equally shocked.
Neither had ever seen Dark Aisha's way of dueling before.
"I overlay my two Level 2 monsters to Xyz Summon! Burn, spirit of the blade—descend! Onibimaru Soul Sweeper!"
[Onibimaru Soul Sweeper] Rank 2│DARK│Fiend│1900 ATK / 1600 DEF
Ghostly blue flames gathered in the fog as the masked blade-wielding fiend descended.
Luca groaned, "Hey, you're a Fusion Academy student… what are you doing using Xyz Summons? Does that even make sense?!"
Ren was equally stunned. "You can use Xyz Summons, little Ai? Since when?"
"When I learned doesn't matter. What matters is that this way, I can beat you, Ren-chan!"
Detaching Crowned by the World Chalice as material, Aisha activated Onibimaru's effect.
"Effect: Detach 1 material; banish 1 monster your opponent controls until the End Phase!"
The massive blade drew in the surrounding blue flames.
"Go, Fiery Blade Draw! Slice down the evil Hero, along with space itself! Ghostflame Blade Slash!"
With one strike, Aisha's hidden Xyz power sent Evil HERO Lightning Golem to the banished zone.
Even Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, had once fallen to this blade—and the dark Hero was no exception.
Miles said, "You couldn't help but lend a hand, could you? Without you, Aisha couldn't have pulled off that Xyz Summon."
In the past, when Aisha used Xyz, Miles had been inside Irena and couldn't see the details.
But now, within the Millennium Puzzle's Soul Room, he indeed saw Dark Aisha hand over the Xyz cards she'd long been organizing—rarely successful, but kept ready for just this moment.
"Because I don't want to see you leave either, Miles. So we have to win this duel!"
…It was a surprisingly rare long sentence from the usually withdrawn Dark Aisha.
...
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