"Kevin… you mean Kevin Seth?"
Oga had heard that name before.
The previous head of the Seth family, Reigun Seth, was one of the instigators of the royal capital war, having colluded inside and out with the Slint family.
Although the eldest son, Kaima Seth, had fought heroically in that war and earned the forgiveness of the Old King Kaiser, allowing the Seth family to retain its noble standing, the Kingdom of Livorden never truly forgave them.
Many houses continued to voice their opposition, believing that since Reigun Seth had shown treasonous intent, his children—the Seth siblings—could not be trusted to remain loyal.
Others simply saw it as a chance to push out the powerful Duke family and elevate their own standing within the kingdom.
Too much anger and vested interest were intertwined in the matter.
Even so, when Miles later interacted with the Seth siblings, he had never once felt despair or guilt from them.
Quite the opposite—Kaima and Kevin were the kind of people who fought against fate.
"Kevin isn't like you. He doesn't wield forbidden cards from the Gate of Truth, nor the Divine Serpent Geh that grants infinite attack power. Compared to you, he's just an ordinary human who fights with ordinary monsters like Red-Eyes Black Dragon. But when it comes to resolve… you're far beneath him."
Oga frowned. "Aisha Carlos, I didn't come here to listen to this, did I?"
"My apologies, I got sidetracked. It's just… it's been a long time. I suppose I miss my old friend."
Aisha blinked. "(?oωo?) Why do I feel like you just turned me green with jealousy?"
Their experiences had been too similar. Without realizing it, Miles's mind had wandered back to his rival, Kevin.
For Miles to speak so highly of someone, to say that a mere mortal's deck could surpass the power of gods, meant he truly respected him.
"Aisha Carlos. I've answered your questions. Now tell me—what happened to Luca?"
"You still see her as your sister, even knowing she was a murderer who slaughtered countless people? Well… it's your choice how you see her. But the truth will only disappoint you."
Miles explained everything—the Battle of Livorden, how Luca's soul had been burned away by The Winged Dragon of Ra, how her body was later reconstructed by Viel, and how the girl before them now had no memories of her past life.
"In short, the Luca you knew is dead. And she…"
He pointed toward the girl behind the counter, still blankly staring.
"She's just another person who happens to share the same name."
"Her soul… burned away by The Winged Dragon of Ra."
The shocking truth made Oga's dark eyes tremble violently.
It was a tragic end… but when he tried to speak, no words came.
He couldn't even bring himself to defend Luca.
Because more than anyone, he knew what Luca Slint had done in the darkness in order to revive the Sacred Beasts.
Just as he had accepted his own sins, Oga also accepted hers.
"I see." His trembling eyes slowly stilled, and a faint understanding surfaced. "It's not the best ending for her… but maybe it's the one that fits her best."
Even though he'd never had the courage to stop her, Oga had always wished that his adopted sister could live an ordinary, peaceful life.
Without another word, he turned to leave, not taking a single step further inside.
"You came all the way here, through an angry crowd," Miles said. "I thought you'd at least stay and talk for a while."
"No need. I'd just heard rumors of a girl who looked a lot like my sister wandering around the slums. Now I see I was mistaken."
"Suit yourself," Miles shrugged. "If you don't want to disturb her, that's probably for the best."
"Right. Oh, and Aisha Carlos… while I won't deny the sins I bear, there's one thing I refuse to lose: when it comes to representing my academy in a duel, I will not be defeated. That's my resolve."
To Oga, the fact that Xyz Academy—an institution that rarely intervened in political affairs—had stepped forward to defend him was likely because of his dueling ability.
Having lost last year, Xyz Academy had resolved to go all in this year.
The True King of All Calamities and Divine Serpent Geh were indispensable powers for the academy's third-year team.
"Even if I'm being used, the academy gave me the freedom to stand here. So I won't lose a single duel."
"And after that? You'll graduate eventually."
"After that, I won't appear before anyone again."
Oga Slint left. The creak and slam of the old wooden door woke up the napping loli Viel inside.
Wearing a triangle nightcap and dragging her small, sleepy body, Viel yawned. "Who was that just now? A customer?"
Luca shook her head, indicating she had no idea.
"Not a customer," Miles said, looking toward the closed door. "Just another lost soul, like always."
"Lost soul?"
Viel tilted her head at the odd phrasing but didn't dwell on it. Instead, her attention snapped to what Miles was holding. She snatched it from his hands.
"Miles! If you're not buying, don't touch my merchandise! This crystal ball lets you peek at your opponent's deck before a duel—it's super expensive!"
"Oh? You can peek at your opponent's deck before the duel? Now that's useful."
Miles hadn't expected that among Viel's dubious collection of scam-like trinkets, there'd actually be something that sounded worthwhile.
If he could see his opponent's deck beforehand, it'd be an incredible advantage.
"Er… well," Viel coughed and hurriedly put the crystal ball back on the counter, clearly embarrassed. "You can look, yes… but only half."
"Even half is impressive."
After all, in dueling, seeing half the deck was practically as good as seeing it all.
Albeit noticing her awkward expression, Miles pressed, "Wait—which half?"
"You can see… the back half."
"…That's just plain trash."
Who in their right mind would spend 150,000 just to peek at the backs of their opponent's cards before a duel?
As expected, nothing in this shop was reliable except for that High-tier Magic Directory.
After freeloading until he'd completely drained all the Magic Points accumulated from his Republic Knight's Badge over the past few days, Miles finally left the shabby workshop, satisfied, under Viel's resentful glare.
Back at Synchron Academy, while passing by the schoolyard, Miles faintly heard a familiar voice—crying out in distress.
"Senpai, move out of the way!"
Ecclesia, skating on magical wind, lost complete balance and went rolling straight into Miles.
"Ow… Senpai Aisha, you're not soft enough."
Used as a human crash pad and then blamed for not being soft enough… good thing it was Miles controlling the body right now. If it had been Aisha herself, her Attack would've shot up to 3000 by now.
"Ecclesia, why are you attacking people in broad daylight?"
"I'm not attacking! It's because Irena-senpai insisted on giving me hellish special training! I'm exhausted, I'm starving, I'm suffering!"
"Hellish special training?"
Sure enough, right behind her came Irena, gliding effortlessly atop a current of mana.
"I told you to practice a few days ago, but you kept slacking off. The duel's tomorrow! If I don't drill you hard now, there's no way you'll be ready!"
Miles remembered—Ecclesia couldn't ride a D-Wheel, and from the look of things, she wasn't great at handling a D-Board either.
Seeing how abundant her mana was in the Saint Vessel's body, Irena had decided to train her personally in magical gliding.
"If you can't master mana glide today, you won't even make it onto the track tomorrow."
"Alright, alright, I got it." Ecclesia reluctantly stood up, summoning mana to form the tiny wings at her heels again. "I'll do my best!"
She slid forward a short distance—then promptly fell flat on her face.
"…That was fast," Irena muttered, puzzled.
"Wait," Miles said sharply. "Ecclesia isn't moving."
The two hurried over, only to find the cross-shaped Saint's Mark on Ecclesia's forehead flickering in and out.
If anything, it resembled an Ultraman's chest light blinking red for low energy.
"Ecclesia! Are you alright?" Irena asked anxiously.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Ecclesia shook her head and got up with a sheepish smile. "I think I'm just really hungry. I've been practicing nonstop since lunch, after all."
So hunger could actually cause her Saint's Mark to vanish?
It wasn't the first time either—back in the mountains, when Ecclesia first manifested and defeated The Wicked Eraser, she'd disappeared afterward due to energy depletion.
Meanwhile, this time, the Saint Vessel Ecclesia—who had remained in her manifested state since suppressing the magic stone leyline—hadn't reverted at all.
"Maybe the possession's been lasting too long," Miles guessed. "Could she be running out of power?"
"Don't worry, Senpai. Possession itself doesn't consume energy. It can only happen when the body is a perfect match. So really, Lishia and I are the same person."
Miles, who didn't fully understand the mechanics of divine possession, could only nod half-heartedly.
If Ecclesia said it didn't consume power, then it probably was just hunger.
Thankfully, Irena had secured extra meal funds from Vice Principal Raiden before they left; otherwise, feeding this girl with an apocalyptic hunger would've been impossible.
After an energy-replenishing afternoon tea, Ecclesia was back on her feet and finally mastered mana gliding under Irena's hellish training.
Under the setting sun, her lively, graceful figure glided across the courtyard—showing no trace of the fact that she'd eaten fifteen croissants for tea.
…
The next day, the third round of the Turbo Duel Tournament began.
To heighten the tension, the third day's matches and the final day's were arranged back-to-back, with no rest in between.
The three great Duel Academies would fight for two straight days in an atmosphere burning with intensity.
Turbo Duel Tournament: First Match.
Fusion Academy's Ren Austin VS Xyz Academy's Lloyd.
Heroes versus Heroics—an opening duel made for spectacle. The audience roared in excitement.
"Effect of [Number 86: Heroic Champion - Rhongomyniad] activates! I detach two Xyz Materials—its Attack is doubled! Now, battle!"
Lloyd's Rhongomyniad, now at 4000 Attack, swung its massive blade through the rushing wind, striking at the Hero monster on Ren's field.
Ren's lips curved into a confident smile as her D-Board soared gracefully through phoenix flames.
The monster targeted by Rhongomyniad's assault was none other than the undying new Hero—
"Before your attack declaration, I activate [Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer]'s effect!"
[During either player's turn: You can target 1 card you control and 1 card on the field; destroy them.]
"I destroy both [Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer] and [Number 86: Heroic Champion - Rhongomyniad]! Detonate—Phoenix Flame Blast!"
The Hero, engulfed in burning form, clashed with the Heroic Champion in a fiery explosion that ended with both annihilated in the blazing tornado.
"Ren's deck… not only has [Super Polymerization], but she even has [Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer] now?"
Watching, Miles couldn't help but be amazed by how quickly Ren had grown stronger.
In just over a week since arriving in Axet, her power had skyrocketed—rivaling Aisha's own leap after awakening [Number F0: Utopic Future] and [Number 39: Utopia Ray].
Were the two of them trying to outdo each other to death? Even Miles felt a bit unnerved by how fast they were advancing.
Still, once the one-month limit on body swapping was up, Miles swore he'd personally experience Ren's new Hero deck and thoroughly enjoy toying with her strategies.
After both Hero and Heroic Champion fell, Ren raised her hand and declared, "When [Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer] is destroyed—its effect activates!"
[If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can activate this effect; during the next Standby Phase, Special Summon 1 "Destiny HERO" monster from your Graveyard.]
The Destiny HERO with an immortal body—Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer—even when destroyed by its own effect and dragging the opponent's card down with it, can still rise from the Graveyard in the next turn.
"What an interesting effect. A hero, huh? Worthy of a duel!"
Speeding down the track, Lloyd ended his Battle Phase and slammed a Spell Card into the center of the D-Wheel circuit.
"I won't let you revive!—I activate the Spell Card, 'Soul Release'!"
[Choose up to 5 cards in both players' Graveyards combined; those cards are banished.]
The light of banishment spread from both Ren's and Lloyd's Graveyards.
"I banish five cards from both our Graveyards! From your Graveyard, I banish 'Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer'! And from mine: 'Heroic Challenger - Morning Star', 'Spartan', 'Assault Halberd', and 'Swordshield'!"
By banishing Ren's Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer, he could prevent its endless resurrection.
And after doing so, Lloyd banished four Level 4 Heroic monsters from his own Graveyard; anyone who had seen his duel against Lost could already guess what he was planning.
Now, in Lloyd's Banished Zone, there were a total of five Level 4 Heroic monsters. Combine that with 'Dimension Fusion', and the result would be a five-material Rhongomyniad.
"No—that shouldn't be possible!" Ren calmly analyzed.
[Lloyd, LP: 2000]
After several fierce exchanges, Lloyd's Life Points had already been halved—he didn't have enough to pay the 2000 LP cost of 'Dimension Fusion'.
"I Set two cards and end my turn!"
Sure enough, unable to use 'Dimension Fusion', Lloyd simply gathered five Heroic monsters in the Banished Zone, then ended his turn.
"Now's my chance!"
Ren's heterochromatic eyes gleamed faintly with gold.
She had already lost once. This time, she had to win.
And now that Lloyd couldn't summon his Heroic Champion, this was the perfect opening for an all-out attack.
"My turn—draw!"
Balancing on her D-Board, Ren scanned her current hand.
"I activate the Spell Card—'Miracle Fusion'!"
[Banish Fusion Materials listed on an 'Elemental HERO' Fusion Monster from your field or Graveyard, then Fusion Summon that Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck.]
"I banish 'Elemental HERO Avian' and 'Elemental HERO Burstinatrix' from my Graveyard! Miracle Fusion—take flight and blaze through the skies—Elemental HERO Flame Wingman!"
[Elemental HERO Flame Wingman, ATK: 2100]
Born from the fusion of wind and fire, the Flame Wingman—Ren's very first Hero Fusion—descended onto the Turbo Duel track. Its 2100 Attack Points were just enough to finish off Lloyd's empty field.
"Direct attack, Flame Wingman! 'Skydive Scorcher'!"
The dragon-headed arm unleashed a torrent of flames toward Lloyd's D-Wheel, waves of heat sweeping across the entire track.
"I won't let you do that!" Lloyd shouted through the blazing heat, flipping over his Set card.
"I activate the Trap Card—Return from the Different Dimension!"
[Pay half your Life Points; Special Summon as many of your banished monsters as possible. During the End Phase, banish all monsters Special Summoned by this effect.]
[Lloyd, LP: 2000 → 1000]
The Turbo Duel field warped once more. Like 'Dimension Fusion', this Trap summoned banished monsters back to the field.
"I Special Summon all five of my Heroic Challenger monsters!"
A dimensional ripple tore open, and five Heroic Challengers appeared in brilliant light, forming a defensive wall before Flame Wingman.
"So that's your plan… you were saving this card to Xyz Summon the five-material Rhongomyniad. But with your Life Points in danger, you had no choice but to use it for defense."
Standing atop her D-Board, Ren pointed forward and declared her assault.
"Too bad—that won't save you! Flame Wingman inflicts damage equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Points!"
With Lloyd down to his final 1000 LP, just destroying any one of his Heroic monsters would be enough to end this duel with effect damage.
"No—I'm one step ahead of you, Ren Austin!"
He flipped his final Set Trap Card, unleashing the radiance of an accelerated Xyz Summon upon his field.
"I activate the Trap Card—Wonder Xyz!"
[Use monsters you control as materials to Xyz Summon 1 Xyz Monster.]
Using a Trap Card to perform an Xyz Summon during his opponent's turn, Lloyd overlaid his five Level 4 Heroic monsters, the light of their formation connecting earth and sky.
"Let the storm anchor become a sacred lance—Xyz Summon! [Number 86: Heroic Champion - Rhongomyniad]!"
Takehiko Izumi's voice roared across the arena. "Another five-material Rhongomyniad?! This herald of victory… how can anyone stop it!"
"Heh. You said you were faster?" Ren smiled mysteriously. "Then watch closely, Lloyd—and see who's really one step ahead!"
As Lloyd accelerated his Xyz Summon, Ren's D-Board shot forward, overtaking his D-Wheel on the curve.
"I chain to your Trap Card and activate the Quick-Play Spell—Super Polymerization!"
At the decisive moment—right before the five-material Rhongomyniad could emerge—Ren's heterochromatic eyes flared, unleashing the ultimate power.
The ultimate 'Super Polymerization' effect collided head-on with the accelerating 'Wonder Xyz' in the skies above the circuit.
"Fusion Summon versus Xyz Summon—this time, I'll be the one to win!"
A true clash between summoning methods—the power unleashed by Ren's 'Super Polymerization' far outclassed that of the ordinary Trap Card.
Ren could chain 'Super Polymerization' to 'Wonder Xyz', but Lloyd couldn't chain the Trap to the Spell's pseudo-Speed 4 activation.
No matter how it played out, the result was inevitable—Ren was faster.
"A desperate struggle, huh?" Lloyd scowled. "By fusing one of my Heroic monsters, my Rhongomyniad will only have four materials."
A four-material Rhongomyniad was undeniably weaker than its five-material form.
"Fuse away just 'one' of your monsters? Do I look that soft to you?"
Ren raised her arm high, power surging violently around her.
"I'll use 'Super Polymerization' to fuse every monster on the field! I fuse 'Elemental HERO Flame Wingman' and all five of your Heroic Challengers—Super Polymerization!"
At that instant, the light of 'Super Polymerization' exploded across the entire arena—vast enough to engulf everything in sight.
...
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