READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 239: Chapter 239
"Noble Phantasm—Lord Camelot!"
With the radiant walls of Camelot unveiled, the combined power of Hoshino's two set cards blocked the second attack of the deck master, Emperor Penguin.
Lily's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "Wow! It's Camelot~! Amazing!"
"Thanks to the Quick-Play Spell [Lord Camelot], it grants one monster on my field immunity from being destroyed by battle once! That means Emperor Penguin's attack can't break through my deck master, Lily!"
Crump bellowed in protest, "Don't be ridiculous! Even if it can't be destroyed by battle, Emperor Penguin's 6000 attack points are enough to reduce your Life Points to zero!"
Hoshino smiled casually and replied, "That's true. With Emperor Penguin's attack power, my Life Points would indeed be wiped out. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to activate this set card."
"Trap Card: [Nightingale Pledge]!"
[Nightingale Pledge Trap Card Effect: Activate only when you would take damage that would reduce your Life Points to 0. Negate that damage. Afterwards, restore your Life Points by 200 times the number of [Heroic Spirit] monsters on the field, in your Graveyard, and in your Banished Zone.]
[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 4000 → 4400]
Behind the gates of Camelot, a pure white phantom nullified the fatal damage. The absolute defense, born from the combined powers of warmth and gentleness, severed Crump's ugly desires.
Crump clenched the cards in his hand, roaring in frustration. "Damn it! I thought I had finally realized my dream of obtaining a youthful, beautiful body!"
"I told you I wouldn't let you succeed. Don't think slapping the word 'dream' onto your perverted actions makes them any less revolting!"
Hoshino shouted decisively, her words cutting through Crump's delusions. Having fully grasped the rules of the deck master system, she no longer found any value in the old man before her.
"Hmph, you've only blocked one attack from my deck master. Don't get cocky."
Now calm after Hoshino's scolding, Crump glanced at his hand cards, quietly strategizing.
'Even though my Emperor Penguin with 6000 attack points fears nothing, I'll set this card—[Sakuretsu Armor]—just in case. As soon as she uses her deck master to attack, victory will be mine!'
"Hmph. I'll set one card and end my turn!" Confident in his perfect plan, Crump smugly lowered his Duel Disk.
[Crump's | Hand Cards: 3 | Set Cards: 1]
"My turn! Draw!"
Pointing the card she drew at the old man across from her, Hoshino declared, "This turn, I'll thoroughly crush your so-called dream—which is nothing but perverted behavior!"
Shizuka, still uneasy, glanced nervously at the gigantic penguin on the opposing field and timidly asked, "That deck master has 6000 attack points... Is Hoshino really okay?"
Anzu, steadfast in her trust, replied firmly, "If Hoshino says it's fine, then there's nothing to worry about!"
"Activate the effect of [Lord Camelot]! At the start of my turn, all [Heroic Spirit] monsters on my field except Mash gain attack points equal to Mash's defense!"
"Go, Saber Lily!" Mash transferred her strength with encouragement.
[Saber Lily ATK 1200 → 3200]
Shizuka clutched Anzu's delicate hand nervously. "It's still not enough... Even with 2000 more points..."
Swinging her holy sword to produce a dazzling golden light, Lily said with determination, "I can't rely solely on Mash's strength. I must push myself, grow stronger, and strive harder!"
Responding to Lily's resolve, Hoshino said, "That's right! Growth, effort—that's the final effect of Lily as my deck leader!"
[②: During your Standby Phase, your deck master gains 1000 attack points.]
[Saber Lily ATK 3200 → 4200]
"And thanks to Lily's deck master effect, I can add the spell card [Hero Creation] from my Graveyard to my hand—and activate it!"
[Saber Lily ATK 4200 → 5200]
"Ohhh! Master, I feel it—the flowers' magic and the path opening before me!" Lily exclaimed, her body surrounded by immense magical power. "To think I could grow this much... It's incredible!"
"Is that your limit? Boosting your attack by 4000 points is commendable, but it's still not enough!"
Confident in his dual-layered defense of monster and trap, Crump began mocking her again.
"Limit? Someone like you isn't qualified to witness it~" Hoshino retorted easily, throwing down a third monster card. "I summon [Heroic Spirit – Paracelsus von Hohenheim] in Attack Position!"
[Heroic Spirit – Paracelsus von Hohenheim ★★★★ (Level 4)][DARK][Spellcaster/Effect][ATK 1000/DEF 1600]
"And I activate [Paracelsus]'s effect to add a spell card with [Heroic Spirit] to my hand!" Drawing the retrieved card, Hoshino immediately slapped it onto her Duel Disk.
"Checkmate, you penguin-obsessed pervert! Activate Quick-Play Spell: [Phantasmal Summoning]! I fuse the three monsters on my field!"
The previously gloating Crump froze in disbelief. "What?! Fusion Summon?!"
On Hoshino's field, the three Heroic Spirits turned into beams of light, converging to form a new warrior of radiant power.
"Thanks to the deck master's rules, the new monster summoned by fusing the deck master inherits the position of deck master!"
Raising her arm to the sky, Hoshino called forth dazzling light that pierced the icy winds, descending onto the frozen battlefield.
"Fusion Summon! Come forth, my new deck leader—[Heroic Spirit - Mysterious Heroine X]!"
[Heroic Spirit - Mysterious Heroine X ★★★★★★★★★ (Level 9)][LIGHT][Dragon/Fusion/Effect][ATK 3000/DEF 2000]
Holding her holy sword, X adjusted her tilted cap, caused by her dramatic entrance, and declared with determination, "Codename: Heroine X. Reporting for duty to annihilate all Sabers!"
"And as per the deck master's rules, the new master perfectly inherits the state of the original! This means [Mysterious Heroine X] gains 5200 attack points!"
[Mysterious Heroine X ATK 3000 → 8200]
"8200 attack points!" Despite her trust in Hoshino, the moment overwhelmed Anzu and Shizuka with excitement.
"So much power! What amazing energy!" X marveled, feeling her own immense strength.
"With power like this, even Golden Great Emperor Cosmo Gilgamesh could be slain!"
"Hmph, let's get started!" Waving her hand towards the massive Emperor Penguin, Hoshino issued the final battle command. "X-san, target that saber penguin! Swing your sword with all your might!"
"Ohhh! So that big thing is also a saber, huh? It really does give off that overwhelming saber vibe!"
X spread her arms wide, and through some mysterious power, a second black holy sword materialized out of thin air in her hand.
"Now, gaze upon the fellowship of light and dark! Cataphract Shift! Know the power of the Royal Road!"
Wielding dual blades, X launched herself into the air, dragging two trails of light—one black, one white—toward the Emperor Penguin.
"To think this is her first time using the deck master rules, yet she's able to adapt and utilize the master's abilities so flexibly," Crump marveled at Hoshino's overwhelming counterattack, deeply impressed by the terrifying capabilities of a Duel King.
"Still, it's a good thing I saved this card! I activate my trap card: [Sakuretsu Armor]! Your attacking deck master will be destroyed!"
With a manic grin, Crump flipped over his set card, his excitement almost overwhelming him as victory loomed close.
"This duel is mine! My dream, my wish, is finally—"
"I already said I'd crush your dream, which is nothing more than perverted behavior! Activating [Mysterious Heroine X]'s effect!"
Hoshino swiftly interrupted Crump's crazed rant, just as X's sword slashed through the explosive flames before her.
[Fusion Material Requirements: 1 [Artoria] monster + 1 [Heroic Spirit] monster + 1 LIGHT monster.]
[①: If this card is Fusion Summoned using 3 LIGHT monsters, it cannot be targeted or destroyed by card effects.]
"Thanks to Paracelsus's effect, he can be treated as a LIGHT, WATER, FIRE, EARTH, or WIND monster! That satisfies the fusion requirements for [Mysterious Heroine X]! A mere trap? Did you really think it could stop me? How delusional!"
Breaking through the flames of the shattered explosion, X's radiant dual swords carved a brilliant light pattern, striking the enormous Emperor Penguin with elegance.
"Impossible! My dream—my long-cherished wish to become a high school girl—is ruined by a high school girl?!"
"OHHHH! Secret Calibur Sword of Unsigned Victory!!"
X's signature slashing move struck the Emperor Penguin with explosive precision, destroying the deck master entirely.
[With the deck master's defeat, the duel ended. The victor: Hoshino Chiyuki.]
"Being a high school girl is hard too, you know!!!"
(***)
In a sealed space filled with multiple screens, Noah sat in a chair equipped with control buttons, propping his chin with one hand as he watched one of the images with great interest.
Each screen in front of Noah displayed real-time footage of the Big Five dueling the group to seize their bodies. Despite being seasoned duelists, even Yugi found himself struggling under the newly introduced Deck Master rules. However, there was one exception…
"Oh? She figured out the Deck Master rules in just two turns and easily defeated Crump. Hoshino, is it? There are records of her dueling Seto Kaiba once, and he personally gifted her a customized Duel Disk…"
With a few button presses, Noah zoomed in on one of the screens, displaying a close-up of Hoshino's face.
"Never thought Seto would be into this type, huh? Hahaha, how interesting."
As if some intriguing scheme had come to mind, Noah burst into laughter.
"Just imagining Seto's despair face makes me ridiculously happy!"
(***)
"She won! Hoshino actually won!"
Watching Crump's virtual body shatter into pieces like a defeated monster, the three companions felt immense satisfaction deep within their hearts.
Hoshino, putting away her Duel Disk, sighed. "I've fought in so many duels, but this is the first time it feels like I'm genuinely ridding the world of evil."
Anzu looked around at the unmoving surroundings. "So, does this mean we can leave now since that boy Noah said this was a game of Duel Monsters?"
"Probably not…" Hoshino's tone suddenly grew serious.
As they conversed, a door that seemed completely out of place in the icy environment appeared where Crump had once stood.
"It seems they want us to enter. Where it leads, though, is anyone's guess."
Even after winning the duel, Hoshino knew that in Noah's virtual world, she and her companions remained at an absolute disadvantage.
"So, Hoshino, should we go in?"
Uncertain about what to do, Shizuka sought Hoshino's judgment.
Without hesitation, Hoshino pushed open the door and answered, "Of course. If we want to advance in the game, we need to meet the next boss."
Creak—
Surprisingly, despite the door looking brand-new, it opened with the creak of an old wooden door.
"This is—!"
Before them lay a scene that was the polar opposite of the icy plains outside. Inside the door was a space adorned with luxurious decorations and elegant designs, resembling the opulent castle of a noble. It was even more splendid than Pegasus's castle from Duelist Kingdom.
"Welcome to my residence, beautiful ladies~"
A voice, youthful yet speaking words far beyond its apparent age, echoed through the hall.
As the green-haired boy descended the grand staircase, the three couldn't help but gape in surprise.
"Noah?" Hoshino, who had mentally prepared herself for mid-tier or high-tier bosses, was shocked to find the final boss appearing before her the very next moment.
"Leaving beautiful ladies to freeze out on the ice plains is truly impolite," Noah remarked as he approached them. He snapped his fingers with a crisp sound.
In response, a fireplace in the corner of the room spontaneously lit up, its flames giving the illusion of warmth.
But, of course, it was only an illusion. Neither the icy plains nor the fireplace exuded any sense of reality or warmth.
"Noah…"
Looking at the boy before her, whose expression was brimming with confidence, Hoshino was at a loss for words.
As if reading her thoughts, Noah laughed at himself mockingly. "Hahaha, funny, isn't it? Yes, this is the life I've been living all these years! A virtual world, virtual data. No warmth, no substance—nothing but my 'consciousness.'"
"Is that the reason you want to seize a body?" Anzu asked bluntly. Compared to the perverted penguin fanatic earlier, this boy at least seemed more reasonable.
"I have no interest in your bodies. My goal is one and only one—Seto Kaiba!"
The mere mention of Kaiba caused Noah's previously mild gaze to fill with an indescribable coldness.
"If you're not interested in us, does that mean you'll let us go?" Shizuka asked quickly.
"Letting you go isn't impossible. However, your friends are still fighting."
With a wave of his hand, several screens floated in the air, each showing a different duel location.
"Our friends?!"
The familiar faces on the screens immediately captured their attention.
"Yugi, Akasha-chan!"
In a jungle setting, Yugi was dueling while Akasha watched from the sidelines. Seeing the two together, Hoshino finally relaxed a little. If Yugi was around, Akasha was undoubtedly safe.
"Jonouchi, Mai?!"
In what looked like a courtroom, Jonouchi stood protectively in front of Mai, dueling against one of the Big Five.
"Honda??"
In a factory-like setting, Honda was alone, facing a duel by himself.
"Honda… can duel?"
The other two scenes didn't worry Hoshino much. Leaving aside Yugi, even Jonouchi's strength was more than enough to defeat the Big Five. Honda, however, seemed to be in the most danger.
"Honda is amazing!"
To everyone's surprise, the usually timid Shizuka expressed unexpected confidence.
"Honda told me he was the one who taught Onii-chan how to duel! He must be even better than Onii-chan!"
Hoshino and Anzu couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their mouths.
"Shizuka, that's probably just Honda boasting to impress you."
"That idiot Honda!"
Anzu facepalmed. Even she could tell Honda was only a step away from defeat.
Noah's smug laughter filled the room again. "Hahaha, while the Big Five aren't exactly strong duelists, the Deck Master rules are enough to push the duelists of Battle City to their limits!"
"So, Honda's body will end up hosting some middle-aged man? Honestly… it's not like that's completely unacceptable," Hoshino muttered, almost indifferent at the thought, given Honda's usual lack of presence.
"As the first duelist to defeat the Big Five, I have decided to reward you, Hoshino Chiyuki—with the opportunity to challenge me!"
Hoshino frowned. "Challenge you?"
"If you win, even if your companions lose, their bodies won't be taken."
Hoshino didn't trust Noah's offer. For someone in absolute control, there was no reason for him to propose a condition unfavorable to himself.
"What kind of scheme are you plotting this time?"
"Hahaha, it's such a pleasure to talk to someone smart."
With a wave of his hand, the castle's scenery began to shift.
"But if you lose, your consciousness will be under my control, to do with as I please. And when Seto Kaiba sees the woman he fancies obeying my every command… Hahahahaha! I can't wait to see his expression!"
"The woman he fancies? I think you're mistaken. I'm not a Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
(*****)
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