"Limited-time Deck?"
Yusaku froze for a beat, then quickly opened the system inventory. Sure enough, a brand-new Deck was sitting there quietly—except next to the name was a glaring (1/1).
That meant this Deck could only be used once.
Curious, Yusaku checked the Deck's key art. The moment he saw it, he blanked out—because printed right on it was the image of Kitkallos.
Using a Tearlaments Deck to fight the Tearlaments spirit's true body?
Yusaku flipped through the list and confirmed it: it really was a complete Tearlaments build.
…Whatever. No point overthinking it.
Yusaku shook his head. Right now, if he wanted to deal with Tearlaments, this one-time Deck was his only option.
After all, the fear of getting absolutely brutalized by Kitkallos's Tearlaments Deck back then was still burned into his memory. He had zero desire to relive that.
"Duel!"
"Duel!"
They declared it in unison. The Duel Disk's system screen flared to life, and in the blinding glow, their Life Points and turn order appeared.
[Yusaku, LP: 8000]
[Kitkallos, LP: 8000]
[Turn 1: Yusaku]
"Then it's my turn—Draw!"
Yusaku drew his opening five, scanned them fast, thought for only a moment, then pulled one out and slammed it down without hesitation.
"I activate the effect of Tearlaments Scheiren! During my Main Phase, I can Special Summon this card from my hand, then send 1 monster from my hand to the GY, and after that, send the top 3 cards of my Deck to the GY!"
"I'm using that effect—Special Summon Tearlaments Scheiren from my hand! Then I send Tearlaments Merrli from my hand to the GY! Finally, I mill the top 3 cards of my Deck!"
As his words fell, a dazzling summoning aura detonated in front of him. A girl with smooth ash-gray hair slowly appeared on the field, wearing a flowing blue dress and gripping a silver longsword.
[Tearlaments Scheiren]
[Level 4 / Aqua / Effect]
[ATK: 113800]
Seeing that painfully familiar figure appear, Kitkallos blinked in surprise.
Behind her, the real Scheiren stared at the identical "Scheiren" on the field, mouth slightly open, totally dumbfounded.
"Whoa! That's Scheiren-oneechan's face!" Havnis whipped her head toward Scheiren, eyes shining. "Scheiren-oneechan, couldn't you just help Master beat her directly?"
Scheiren immediately shook her head, equally lost. She had no idea why a monster that looked exactly like her had suddenly appeared.
Merrli studied the Tearlaments Scheiren on the field for a moment, then gently shook her head.
"That isn't Scheiren. She doesn't have Scheiren's unique aura."
Hearing that, Havnis hopped over to the edge of Yusaku's field, leaned in close to the "Scheiren," and sniffed carefully. Just like Merrli said—she couldn't sense even a trace of Scheiren's aura.
Tilting her head innocently, Havnis looked up at Yusaku. "Master, is this because you missed us so much that you condensed her with Duel energy? I heard other spirits say only really amazing Duelists can borrow a spirit's power for a short time! Master's that strong now?"
Yusaku had been struggling to explain where the limited-time Deck came from. The moment Havnis said that, his eyes lit up—this was perfect. He smoothly ruffled her hair and smiled warmly.
"Yeah. It's because I missed you all so much that I was able to pull your forms together… and borrow your power for this Duel."
"Ohhh… so that's how it is!" Havnis nodded like she understood, her face full of admiration.
But the truth was: it was the system.
Right before he Summoned Scheiren, Yusaku had clearly felt part of the real Scheiren's power—standing behind Kitkallos—flow into the card he played.
The system was borrowing the girls' power for a moment to help him Duel.
Kitkallos looked at the lifelike Scheiren on the field. Then a confident smile tugged at her lips.
"If that's the case, Master… the Deck you're using should be identical to mine, right? And if that's true, you're in trouble. I know every single detail of this Deck better than you do."
"Not necessarily." Yusaku smiled faintly. "I know you all… just as well as you know yourselves."
He paused, then added with a meaningfully calm tone, "Every part of you."
Kitkallos's face instantly went red. She shot him a look, half annoyed, half flustered. "You're impossible…"
Yusaku laughed, then reined it in and straightened up.
"Alright. My turn continues. By Tearlaments Scheiren's effect, I send the top three cards of my Deck to the GY!"
Cards slid off the top with a soft shuffle. Three hit the GY in order. Yusaku glanced at what was milled, then continued.
"Next, I activate the effect of Tearlaments Merrli that was sent to the GY by an effect! When this card is sent to the GY by an effect, I can Fusion Summon by placing Fusion Materials—including this card—from my hand, field, or GY on the bottom of the Deck in any order, then Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck!"
"I choose Tearlaments Merrli in my GY and Tearlaments Scheiren on my field as materials—return them to the bottom of my Deck!"
"Fusion Summon! Come forth—my beloved partner… Tearlaments Kitkallos!"
A massive blue Fusion vortex roared open in front of Yusaku. Scheiren on the field and Merrli in the GY turned into two streams of blue light and spiraled into it.
An instant later, moonlit silver hair spilled out first. Then a pearl-studded tail swept through the air, accompanied by the sound of flowing water.
Kitkallos's flawless figure emerged within the misty blue glow—like a goddess walking out of the deep sea.
[Tearlaments Kitkallos]
[Level 5 / Aqua / Fusion / Effect]
[ATK: 2300]
"Waaah! It's Big Sis! Big Sis is here!" Havnis bounced excitedly, then turned mischievous, shouting at the real Kitkallos beside the field. "Kitkallos-oneechan, did you hear what Master just said?!"
Kitkallos glared at her. "You talk too much!"
Then she looked at Yusaku—still blushing, but dead serious.
"Don't think a few sweet words will make me go easy on you. Not a chance. I'm going all out, and I'm going to crush you."
She frowned a little. "Consider it punishment for taking so long to come see us."
"Bring it on." Yusaku smiled, eyes steady. "I'm not the same guy you could just toy with before."
Kitkallos smiled too, nostalgia in her expression. "I remember. Every time you Dueled me back then, you loved saying that line."
"This time really is different."
Yusaku's smile faded. He raised his hand sharply, voice rising.
"I activate Tearlaments Kitkallos's effect! When this card is Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Tearlaments' card from my Deck to my hand, or send it to the GY!"
Before his effect could resolve, Kitkallos immediately answered, crisp and fast, brimming with confidence.
"I chain! I activate Tearlaments Merrli from my hand!"
"When you activate a monster effect on the field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand, then send the top 3 cards of my Deck to the GY!"
"Come out—Tearlaments Merrli!"
Light burst again. A cute silver-haired girl in a short blue skirt landed neatly on Kitkallos's field.
[Tearlaments Merrli]
[Level 3 / Aqua / Effect]
[ATK: 1600]
Yusaku's eyes narrowed—then he smiled. "Oh? Starting the counterattack already? Then let's see if you can take it."
"Your effect is done. Now it's my turn to resolve."
"By Tearlaments Kitkallos's effect, I add Tearlaments Reinoheart from my Deck to my hand!"
The instant Reinoheart slid into Yusaku's hand, Kitkallos's voice came again—sweet, confident, relentless.
"Not done yet! I activate the effect of Tearlaments Havnis that was just sent to the GY by Tearlaments Merrli's effect!"
At the edge of the field, Havnis threw her hands up, thrilled. "Woohoo! My turn to shine!"
Kitkallos didn't even look at her—she kept her eyes on Yusaku, tone carrying a sharp, almost regal pressure.
"I activate Tearlaments Havnis, and I also chain Tearlaments Kashtira from my hand!"
"Resolve Tearlaments Kashtira first."
"This card can be activated during either player's Main Phase: I Special Summon it from my hand, then banish 1 'Kashtira' card from my hand or GY!"
"I Special Summon it! Then I banish the card that was just sent to my GY by Tearlaments Merrli's effect—Tearlaments Scream!"
A red-armored mermaid warrior burst out of surging water, a massive axe in hand, landing on Kitkallos's field with murderous intent.
[Tearlaments Kashtira]
[Level 7 / Psychic / Effect]
[ATK: 2300]
"Next—Tearlaments Havnis's effect!"
"I return Havnis in my GY and Tearlaments Merrli on my field to the bottom of my Deck as Fusion Materials!"
"Fusion Summon! Descend—Tearlaments Kitkallos!"
Two streams of light shot into a new Fusion vortex, and in the next heartbeat, another Tearlaments Kitkallos—identical in every detail—appeared on Kitkallos's field.
[Tearlaments Kitkallos]
[ATK: 2300]
"Wha—now there are three Big Sis-es?!" Havnis rubbed her eyes, looking from the two Kitkallos monsters on the field to the real Kitkallos standing nearby, her brain spinning.
After successfully Summoning "herself," Kitkallos's gaze sharpened. She snapped her hand up and declared loudly:
"I activate the effect of my Kitkallos on the field! And I chain the effect of Tearlaments Kashtira!"
"Resolve Tearlaments Kashtira first!" Kitkallos grinned slyly at Yusaku. "When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can send the top 3 cards of either player's Deck to the GY."
Seeing that smug grin, Yusaku smirked back on purpose. "Oh? So you're going to mill for me?"
"In your dreams!" Kitkallos huffed, about to declare the mill—
"Hold it. I'm chaining too." Yusaku flashed a card from his hand. "Chain to your effect: Tearlaments Merrli!"
Chain Link 1: Kitkallos → Chain Link 2: Tearlaments Kashtira → Chain Link 3: Tearlaments Merrli.
"I activate Tearlaments Merrli!" Yusaku called out. "I Special Summon it from my hand—then I send the top 3 cards of my Deck to the GY!"
Light shimmered. Another Tearlaments Merrli appeared on Yusaku's field, swaying gently in the water-lit glow.
[Tearlaments Merrli]
[ATK: 1600]
"Alright. My effect is done. Your move."
"Hmph! Then I resolve mine!" Kitkallos fired back. "I activate Tearlaments Kashtira—send the top three cards of my Deck to the GY!"
Cards slid off the top. Three more fell into her GY. Kitkallos glanced at what she hit, then continued without missing a beat.
"Next, I resolve Tearlaments Kitkallos's effect! I send Tearlaments Merrli from my Deck to the GY!"
The moment Merrli hit the GY, Yusaku's voice cut in again.
"I activate the effect of Agido the Ancient Sentinel that was just sent to the GY by Tearlaments Merrli's effect! And I chain my Trap—Tearlaments Sulliek!"
Kitkallos smiled confidently. "I'm chaining too!"
"I chain the effect of Tearlaments Merrli that was just sent to my GY! And I chain the effect of Shaddoll Beast that was sent to the GY by Tearlaments Kashtira!"
Watching the chain stack higher and higher, Havnis, Scheiren, and Merrli at the side of the field just stood there with wide, vacant eyes—looking from Yusaku to Kitkallos and back again—their heads already turned into a tangled mess of effects and timings.
On the field—
Kitkallos resolved her effects first. She declared loudly:
"First, Shaddoll Beast! If this card is sent to the GY by a card effect, I draw 1 card! Draw!"
A fresh card popped from the top and slid into her hand. She glanced at it, and her smile brightened.
"Next, Tearlaments Merrli! I return Merrli in my GY and the Shaddoll Beast that was just sent to the GY to the bottom of my Deck as Fusion Materials!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 5—El Shaddoll Winda!"
Two streaks of light flew into the Fusion vortex.
A moment later, a cute girl with teal hair in a playful side ponytail emerged, holding an ornate staff—riding atop a hulking dragon made of mechanical parts. With a heavy thud, she landed on the field, radiating oppressive power.
[El Shaddoll Winda]
[Level 5 / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect]
[ATK: 2200]
Havnis went stiff. "Ah… Big Sis really isn't holding back at all. With that monster out, Master's in trouble!"
(End of Chapter)
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