Chapter 755 - 755

"A Synchro Wyrm with 7000 ATK… We really got outplayed this time." Hoshino admitted.

The tide of the Duel had been completely reversed. Draco Berserker of the Tenyi, born from the remains of Metaltron XII, possessed destructive power far beyond anything Hoshino's team had anticipated.

"How ironic," Hoshino sneered. "You keep calling Synchro Summoning a demonic technique, yet you have no hesitation in using it yourself."

Even though she had been completely overwhelmed on the field, Hoshino refused to lose in terms of spirit.

"For the sake of victory, what's wrong with becoming a demon? That was true ten thousand years ago… and it hasn't changed today!"

Surprisingly, although the dragon girl had been easily provoked by Kaiba Man earlier, she remained perfectly calm in the face of Hoshino's taunt.

"I activate the Continuous Spell Disciples of the True Dracophoenix! I return three 'True Draco' cards from my Graveyard to the Deck, then draw one card! After that, I Set one card from my hand… and end my turn!"

She placed one of the two cards in her hand face-down onto her Duel Disk.

At the moment she declared the end of her turn, King's Proof, currently functioning as a Continuous Trap, immediately activated.

"And during the End Phase, since King's Proof has two or more 'King's Counters', I can Tribute Summon one Wyrm monster from my Graveyard!"

She pulled the sleeping card from her Graveyard —

Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King.

Without needing to trigger Metaltron XII, the True Dracombatant's destruction effect again, it was obvious that reviving the more destructive True Dracoslaying King would place even greater pressure on Hoshino.

"I Tribute my Continuous Spell Disciples of the True Dracophoenix and my Continuous Trap Destructive Draw! Tribute Summon — Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King!"

[Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King ATK 2950 → 3250]

By Tributing both a Spell and a Trap, the True Dracoslaying King also gained immunity corresponding to both card types.

"However, when the Continuous Trap Destructive Draw leaves the field, its controller takes 3000 damage."

[Ice King LP: 8950 → 5950]

The dragon girl merely smiled faintly.

Although 3000 damage sounded severe, with such overwhelming field advantage, the cost meant almost nothing to her.

"So, Kaiba…" Eve whispered.

"Doesn't this situation look… pretty bad?"

Even after the trembling of the frozen battlefield had stopped, she was still unconsciously clutching Kaiba's coat.

"Hmph. Don't be ridiculous," Kaiba snorted.

"You call this troublesome?"

"Huh? This doesn't count as trouble?"

Blinking in disbelief, Eve looked up at Kaiba.

She suddenly let out a relieved sigh and patted her chest.

"I see. I thought this kind of overwhelming difference in strength would be a huge problem. But if you think it's fine, maybe I was just overthinking it."

Kaiba nodded.

"That's right. This isn't what I'd call troublesome. I'd call it a dead end."

"C-Cough! Cough! Cough!"

The very next second, Eve nearly choked.

She clutched her chest, coughing violently.

"This is not the time to joke around, Kaiba! What do you mean by a dead end? Are you saying Hoshino and the others can't win?"

"I merely stated my analysis."

The field spoke for itself.

Hoshino and Kaiba Man had no cards left on the field.

Meanwhile, the Ice King's side still controlled Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King, capable of destroying cards at will, and the 7000 ATK Draco Berserker of the Tenyi, which banished any opposing monster whose effect activated.

Not to mention the dragon girl still had two Set cards and King's Proof, whose full effects remained unknown.

Every single threat was formidable.

Combined together… they left almost no hope of victory.

Even after so many years away from Dueling, Kaiba's experience allowed him to evaluate the battlefield objectively.

Any logical analysis produced only one conclusion.

A completely one-sided Duel.

"But… analysis and theory mean nothing."

Watching Hoshino and Kaiba Man from behind, Kaiba murmured quietly enough that only he could hear.

"If it's Hoshino… and me… then we'll surpass every prediction… and seize victory."

["Aibo…"]

Hoshino Alter looked at Hoshino nervously.

["You only have one card left in your hand. Are we really going to be okay?"]

"Of course we're not!"

Hoshino replied without hesitation.

"The situation couldn't be any worse!"

Unlike the confidence Kaiba imagined, the atmosphere inside their private communication channel was anything but optimistic.

Resting her fingertips on her Deck, Hoshino slowly closed her eyes.

She desperately tried to picture a line of play that could overturn the impossible battlefield before her.

"There's only one card I can rely on now. I don't know if it'll work… but I have no choice. Everything comes down to this one card."

Finally, her gaze settled on the last card in her hand.

It was the second card she had drawn through Achilles' effect —

The final hope left behind by the fallen hero.

"My turn! Draw!"

Taking a deep breath, Hoshino began her turn.

She glanced at the card she had just drawn.

Neither joy nor disappointment appeared on her face.

After all, she had already expected that a single draw alone wouldn't be enough to reverse this hopeless situation.

"I activate a Spell Card from my hand…"

She placed the card Achilles had left her onto her Duel Disk.

On her otherwise empty field, a lone fragment of hope descended.

"As long as we never stop moving forward… the road ahead will continue forever! Spell Card — O Noble Flower of Hope!"

Hoshino Alter's eyes went wide.

["(っﾟДﾟ)っ You're making that reference at a time like this?! Why would Achilles leave behind a Flower of Hope of all things?!"]

[Hoshino & Kaiba Man LP: 2100]

[Ice King LP: 5950]

"I send my entire hand to the Graveyard to activate O Noble Flower of Hope!"

[O Noble Flower of Hope Effect: If your Life Points are lower than your opponent's and you control no cards: Send your entire hand to the Graveyard; draw cards equal to the number of cards your opponent controls. After this effect resolves, until the end of this turn, you cannot Normal Summon or Special Summon monsters except "Heroic Spirit" monsters. During the End Phase, send all cards you control to the Graveyard.]

This was the all-or-nothing draw effect Hoshino had staked everything on.

If she failed to end the Duel this turn, the Spell's drawback would send every card on her field to the Graveyard during the End Phase.

At that point… there would truly be no chance of victory.

"You control 2 monsters, 2 Set cards, the Field Spell Dragonic Diagram, and the Continuous Trap King's Proof! So I draw six cards!"

One after another, cards flew from her Deck into her hand.

With the determination to empty her Deck if necessary, Hoshino gathered the six cards that would decide the Duel.

"So that's your final gamble?" the dragon girl laughed arrogantly.

"Interesting. Then try breaking through my field with those last desperate cards!"

"Does she really have a chance…?" Eve swallowed nervously.

With the dragon girl's current board, unless Hoshino could somehow deal with both Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King and Draco Berserker of the Tenyi, she wouldn't even be able to begin her combo.

"I'll just have to try!"

Looking over the six newly drawn cards, even Hoshino couldn't predict the outcome.

There were simply too many variables.

This was a true gamble.

"First, I activate the effect of the monster in my Graveyard — Heroic Spirit – Irisviel von Einzbern!"

Rather than immediately using the cards she'd just drawn, Hoshino chose to begin with Irisviel's Graveyard effect.

[Heroic Spirit – Irisviel von Einzbern Effect: While this card is in your Graveyard: You can banish this card and four other "Heroic Spirit" monsters from your Graveyard; Special Summon one "Heroic Spirit" monster from your Extra Deck. Return that monster to the Extra Deck during the End Phase.]

Five cards were ejected from her Graveyard in succession.

"I banish Heroic Spirit – Irisviel von Einzbern, Heroic Spirit – Okita Souji, Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga, Heroic Spirit – Sir Lancelot of the Round Table, and Heroic Spirit – Katsushika Hokusai!"

The Spirit Origins of five different Attributes converged upon the Holy Grail shining above the field.

"Awaken the miracle of the Holy Grail! I Special Summon from my Extra Deck — Heroic Spirit – Prince of Lanling!"

[Heroic Spirit – Prince of Lanling ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][WATER][Warrior/Synchro/Effect][ATK 2200/DEF 1800]

"Prince of Lanling answers your summons. My Master… command me as you wish."

Stepping gracefully onto the frozen battlefield, Prince of Lanling rested his elegant sword behind his back before slowly removing his mask with his left hand.

His peerless beauty was revealed beneath the Holy Grail's radiance.

After the successful Special Summon, Hoshino deliberately paused.

Seeing that the dragon girl made no response, she proceeded with her next play.

Hoshino Alter sighed.

["The first time someone's seen Prince of Lanling's Noble Phantasm — his breathtaking appearance — and they don't even react. That's impressive in its own way. Unlike a certain useless shrine maiden…"]

Eve blushed immediately.

"⁄(⁄⁄•⁄⁄•⁄⁄)⁄ S-So handsome… I'm dying…"

"Different races have different standards of beauty," Hoshino joked.

"Since she's a Wyrm, maybe she only likes guys dressed like Kaiba Man — with a Blue-Eyes dragon helmet."

Drawing another card from her hand, Hoshino intentionally slowed her speech.

"Next… I activate the Spell Card — Monster Reborn! And the monster I'll revive is… Heroic Spirit – Qin Shi Huang!"

The Synchro Summoned Qin Shi Huang possessed a powerful once-per-turn negation effect.

If successfully revived, he could reliably stop the True Dracoslaying King's destruction effect.

"I won't let you build your field so easily!"

The dragon girl immediately responded.

"I chain to Monster Reborn!"

"Before Qin Shi Huang returns, the True Dracoslaying King destroys your Prince of Lanling!"

The corner of Hoshino's mouth curled upward.

She took the bait.

The first step of my gamble succeeded.

Drawing his sword, the True Dracoslaying King unleashed a slash across the frozen battlefield, targeting Prince of Lanling.

"Open the way… the army advances! With my mask as tribute… begone, fiends!"

The melody of The Prince of Lanling's Entrance March, his Noble Phantasm, echoed beautifully across the battlefield.

Its graceful notes completely dispersed the Swordmaster's destructive sword aura.

"Heroic Spirit – Prince of Lanling's effect — As long as this card remains on the field, any effect that targets one 'Heroic Spirit' monster you control is negated."

That was precisely why Hoshino had made Prince of Lanling her first priority.

His continuous protection covered every Heroic Spirit on her field.

By deliberately announcing Monster Reborn to revive Qin Shi Huang, she had intentionally lured the dragon girl into wasting the True Dracoslaying King's once-per-turn destruction effect before learning what Prince of Lanling could do.

Whether the dragon girl targeted Prince of Lanling…

Or Qin Shi Huang…

Hoshino would have considered the gamble a success.

[Heroic Spirit – Qin Shi Huang ATK 2500]

"The Emperor… has returned."

Bathed in the overlapping radiance of resurrection and imperial authority, Qin Shi Huang once again appeared upon the battlefield.

"So you have two monsters now," Eve observed.

"But your opponent's monsters still have much higher ATK."

"Next… I activate the effect of the Heroic Spirit monster that Hokusai Tributed two turns ago!"

Hoshino revealed the card that had been Tributed after Festive Wear: Marie Antoinette's effect enabled Hokusai's consecutive attacks.

"Qin Shi Huang – Divine Vessel! While this card is in the Graveyard, if you control a 'Qin Shi Huang' monster, I can Special Summon it!"

[Qin Shi Huang – Divine Vessel ★ (Level 1)][LIGHT][Machine/Tuner/Effect][ATK 0/DEF 0]

[This card is always treated as a "Heroic Spirit" card.]

Although only a Level 1 monster, the gigantic sacred capital floating high above the frozen kingdom eclipsed the sky itself.

"As expected of my former body. No matter when I see it, it remains magnificent beyond compare," Qin Shi Huang said proudly.

"Qin Shi Huang – Divine Vessel's effect allows it to target one monster in my Graveyard. This card becomes the same Level as that monster and is treated as a Synchro Tuner."

Hoshino revealed another card.

"I choose Heroic Spirit – Yan Qing. My Divine Vessel becomes Level 2, matching Yan Qing, and is also treated as a Synchro Tuner."

[Qin Shi Huang – Divine Vessel ★★ (Level 2)][Synchro/Tuner]

A Synchro Tuner —

A monster that was simultaneously a Synchro Monster and a Tuner.

One of the rarest and most important materials for performing the highest-level Synchro Summons.

"Finally… I use Prince of Lanling, Qin Shi Huang, and Qin Shi Huang – Divine Vessel as Synchro Materials!"

"W-Wait a second!" Eve interrupted.

"Prince of Lanling is Level 6, Qin Shi Huang is Level 8, and Divine Vessel is Level 2!"

"That adds up to Level 16! What kind of monster is even that high-Level?"

"That's why this card is the key…"

Hoshino smiled.

"I activate the Spell Card — Another Ending! By discarding one Heroic Spirit card, I add one Spell Card from my opponent's Graveyard to my hand."

"The card I choose is — Star Blast!"

[Star Blast Effect: Pay Life Points in multiples of 500; reduce the Level of one monster in your hand or on your field by 1 for every 500 LP paid until the End Phase.]

It was the very Spell the dragon girl had previously used to reduce the Ice King's Level to 4 for a Normal Summon.

Because of its steep Life Point cost and its seemingly narrow application, everyone had nearly forgotten about it once it reached the Graveyard.

Everyone…

Except Hoshino.

She had noticed every detail and overlooked no possibility.

From the very start of this turn, she had already envisioned an entirely different use for the card.

"I pay 2000 Life Points!"

"I reduce the Level of Heroic Spirit – Qin Shi Huang by 4 Levels!"

[Hoshino & Kaiba Man LP: 2100 → 100]

[Heroic Spirit – Qin Shi Huang Level 8 → Level 4]

"Now… Level 6 Prince of Lanling, Level 2 Divine Vessel, and Level 4 Qin Shi Huang… their combined Levels equal exactly 12!"

Hoshino swept her finger across every monster on her Duel Disk.

Three converging rings of light intertwined, igniting the ultimate Synchro Summon.

"The sovereign who stood at the origin of all emperors! Here and now, proclaim the name that echoes throughout all of history! Soar forth… Level 12 Synchro Summon! Heroic Spirit – Lostbelt King Qin Shi Huang!"