"Safety, my ass—Cup of Ace, activate!"
Overwhelmed by how easily he had been provoked, Minazuki slammed down the card he had been agonizing over for nearly half the turn.
"Flip a coin! If it's heads, I draw two cards! If it's tails, you draw two!"
Akasha muttered in confusion,
"Why would you even run a card like that…? Isn't Professor Crowler's face on Pot of Greed good enough for you?"
"If I miss the flip here, that only means my luck ends right now! So please—!"
Staring intensely at the coin spinning above the field, Minazuki silently prayed.
Coin result: Heads
"YA☆DA☆ZE! Thanks to Cup of Ace, I draw two cards from my Deck!"
The result favored Minazuki, while Chazz's brows tightened.
"In a situation like this… you really think one or two cards can save you? Don't delude yourself."
"What do we do?!" Syrus cried toward Jaden.
"That VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon has 5800 ATK and DEF! Even if Minazuki summons his ace, he still can't beat it!"
"Trust him. Maybe he'll surpass his limit—in his own way."
Jaden replied firmly.
"Dystopia? No—"
Minazuki flipped his only set card.
"When the known is enough, why cling to the unknown? Spell Card—Unexpected Dai, activate!"
[Effect: If you control no monsters: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from your Deck.]
"The soul of a knight never dies—From my Deck, I Special Summon Mekk-Knight Avram!"
[Mekk-Knight Avram ★★★★(Level 4)][LIGHT][Psychic][ATK 2000/DEF 0]
Akasha tensed.
"Another 2000 ATK Normal Monster… No—this one has 0 DEF. That thing can't beat VWXYZ at all!"
"It doesn't need to."
Minazuki smiled.
"I have my own formula for victory! Trap Card—activate!"
[Graverobber – Trap Effect: Select 1 Spell Card from your opponent's Graveyard. You can use it as your hand until the end of the turn. If you use it, you take 2000 points of damage.]
"Thanks to Graverobber, I choose a Spell from your Graveyard!"
The sneering little grave thief dove into Chazz's Graveyard and lifted a stolen card.
"I add your Spell Card, Hidden Armory, to my hand! It mills the top card of my Deck, then searches an Equip Spell! I pay 2000 Life Points to activate!"
[Minazuki LP 3200 → 1200]
Now holding the same Life Points as Chazz, Minazuki searched out an Equip Spell—his final hope.
"Come forth—Equip Spell, Shooting Star Bow - Ceal!"
In Mekk-Knight Avram's hands, the meteor-bright bow of Arash manifested—an arrow capable of piercing all barriers.
[Shooting Star Bow - Ceal – Equip Spell Effect: The equipped monster loses 1000 ATK. It can attack your opponent directly.]
[Mekk-Knight Avram ATK 2000 → 1000]
Alexis widened her eyes.
"Reducing your own monster's ATK by 1000 just so it can attack directly?! And using a combo with a card stolen from your opponent's Graveyard?!"
"Exactly!"
Minazuki declared.
"Against the Shooting Star Bow, even VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon can't block the attack!"
He pointed dramatically forward.
"Pierce everything—Direct Attack! Mekk-Knight Avram's Meteor Shot!!"
As if Chazz's massive monster didn't exist, the meteor arrow streaked past it and pierced the Duelist behind.
[Chazz LP 1200 → 200]
Chazz clutched his chest, forcing out a grin.
"That's your last counterattack? You can brag all you want about pushing me this far… but your fate is still defeat, scrub!"
"Don't get cocky—I'm the one holding this duel's fate!"
Minazuki slammed down his final card.
"Quick-Play Spell—Berserker Soul—ACTIVATE!"
[Berserker Soul – Quick-Play Effect: When a monster with 1500 or less ATK inflicts direct damage: draw 1 card.
If it's a Monster Card, send it to the GY and that monster can attack again.
This repeats until you draw a non-Monster Card.]
"Prepare yourself, you arrogant bastard! Draw—MONSTER CARD!!"
Because Berserker Soul drew a Monster Card, the Mekk-Knight Avram on the field could attack once more.
The Bow, when equipped, ensured that every strike was a direct assault on Chazz.
Syrus said in disbelief,
"Chazz only has 200 Life Points left—which means Minazuki's next attack can—"
"Screw you—Quick-Play Spell Card, activate!"
With his life hanging by a thread, Chazz abandoned all kingly composure and flipped up a face-down card from his back row.
"—Mystik Wok! I tribute my VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!"
[Mystik Wok – Quick-Play Spell Effect: Tribute 1 monster. Select either its ATK or DEF and gain that many Life Points.]
Mystik Wok allowed Chazz to withstand a fatal arrow, converting the cannon's massive power into Life Points.
[Chazz LP 200 → 6200 → 5200]
"You think you can survive like this, Chazz?! My battle isn't over yet!!"
Thanks to Berserker Soul, as long as Minazuki kept drawing Monster Cards, the assault would continue.
"Second gacha pull! Doraemon—Monster Card!"
[Chazz LP 5200 → 4200]
Another arrow fired.
"Draw—Monster Card!!"
[Chazz LP 4200 → 3200]
"Damn it! How many Monster Cards can you possibly draw in a row?!"
Chazz growled as his stolen lifeline melted away.
"Let me tell you!"
Minazuki roared, brandishing his card.
"Nobody knows my Deck better than I do! And I know that every remaining card in my Deck… is a MONSTER CARD!!"
"What?! ALL the remaining cards are Monsters?!"
The crowd erupted in shock.
One arrow after another shredded Chazz's Life Points.
"No matter if you have 3,000 or 30,000 Life Points…
As long as I still have cards to draw, your only path—IS DEFEAT!"
Chazz staggered backward.
"Impossible… Me… losing to… a Red?!"
"Fourth! Fifth! Sixth draws!"
"Draw!"
"Draw!"
"Draw!"
[Chazz LP 3200 → 2200 → 1200 → 200]
"I'm… losing to a Red scrub?!"
"Owarida! The final draw—DRAW—!!"
With the initial strike plus seven consecutive meteor shots, Minazuki's Bow × Berserker Soul eight-hit combo brought the duel to its conclusion.
"FINISH!! Hanase—!!"
[Chazz LP: 200 → 0]
[Winner: MINAZUKI]
"Hanase! Draw—MONSTER CARD!!"
Minazuki had absolutely no intention of stopping. Even though the duel was already over, he continued drawing from his Duel Disk without hesitation.
If this went on, Berserker Soul's effect would keep resolving endlessly… turning the aftermath into a downright brutal post-victory beatdown.
Realizing how bad this could get, Hoshino hurried toward the stage and shouted to Jaden and Syrus below,
"Jaden! Syrus! Stop him—don't let him keep going!"
"Got it!" Receiving Hoshino's order, Jaden and Syrus rushed onto the stage and grabbed Minazuki from both sides as he kept reaching for more cards.
"Don't stop me! Let me draw at least twenty more!"
But no matter how violently he struggled, two people were still stronger than one. Jaden and Syrus pinned him down completely.
"Calm down, Minazuki," Jaden whispered. "You already won."
From an outsider's perspective, Minazuki vs. Chazz had been a duel that embodied the spirit of Duel Academy. But if it turned into corpse-beating after the outcome was decided… that meaning would be completely lost.
"Didn't expect this kid… he looks calm and gentle, but when he duels, he goes completely feral…" Hoshino sighed.
The Kuriboh Minazuki had drawn through Berserker Soul made her click her tongue as well. No wonder he said the rest of his deck was all monsters—just a pile of Kuribohs alone was enough to stall Chazz to death.
And the fact that they were all Level 1 meant they could synergize with summoning Dystopia. Minazuki's chaotic deck actually had real power behind it.
"Me… Chazz… actually lost to a Red dropout?!"
Chazz, who had been reverse-swept into oblivion, was already spiraling into an existential crisis.
Finally cooling down after being double-teamed by Jaden and Syrus, Minazuki set down the Kuriboh he'd been using to beat an already-defeated opponent.
"Sorry, I got a little too fired up. Anyway—as we agreed, Chazz, hand over that ticket!"
Akasha looked troubled.
"(꒪Д꒪)ノ Minazuki, you really went all-out campaigning for me… You didn't have to go that far. Now, if I don't thank you, I feel like some heartless jerk."
"No!" Deeply moved by Minazuki's hot-blooded counterattack, Atticus spoke with tears in his eyes.
"For the sake of your beloved goddess, charging bravely ahead—that is a true duelist! That is the spirit Duel Academy must show!"
Zane nodded in agreement.
"Not just Minazuki—Chazz fought brilliantly as well. As a judge, I can say this duel was the brightest highlight on today's stage."
The crowd erupted. Receiving praise from the kings of the academy was no small thing—but more importantly, everyone could feel it: the genuine clash of duelists' souls.
"I think the cheers make the result clear!" Atticus raised his arm skyward and declared,
"—The First Duel Academy Duel Queen is… Minazuki-kun from Slifer Red!"
[Minazuki has obtained the title: Duel Queen]
Hoshino: "…?? Wait, what is going on?"
Hoshino's ahoge curled in confusion.
She couldn't follow Atticus's mental circuitry—no, she couldn't follow anyone's. Why was everyone acting like Minazuki becoming Duel Queen was the natural outcome?
Isn't Duel Queen supposed to be… a girl?
"Isn't Duel Queen supposed to be a girl?" Minazuki asked.
Hoshino was stunned—the only person who shared her confusion was Minazuki himself.
"There's no rule saying the Duel Queen has to be female," Atticus wagged a finger. "Besides, I said it from the start, didn't I?"
("As a special bonus segment, Zane and I will judge and score this duel!")
"And the result is this: your bonus segment received unanimous approval, along with the highest possible score from both judges. As the victor, Minazuki-kun, the title of Duel Queen rightly belongs to you!"
"Congrats, Minazuki!" Jaden clapped happily.
"It's an odd turn of events, but congratulations," Alexis added.
Akasha: "(￣ー￣) Congrats, you bastard~"
Syrus: "Congrats!"
Jonouchi: "Congrats!"
Random bystander: "Congrats!"
"Don't think making this look like the ending of Evangelion will fool me! I don't want to be the Duel Queen!!" Dragged unwillingly onto the throne, Minazuki roared in despair.
Don't lower your head, Minazuki—the crown will fall.
After the Duel Queen announcement, the festival wound down slightly and returned to its normal atmosphere.
In the afternoon, the Yugi deck exhibition was successfully held under Professor Crowler's extremely cautious supervision.
Even with the Shadow Rider incident earlier, the first day of the Academy Festival ended smoothly overall.
As usual, the festival lasted two days. While the main events took place on day one, the second night held what the students looked forward to most: the After-Festival Night.
Just like the romantic rumors at ordinary high schools about couples forming during the after-festival dance, Duel Academy had its own legend:
"During the Duel Academy After-Festival Night, if you give someone a precious card, you will receive the blessing of the Duel Spirits for your love."
"Huh? There's a legend like that?" Alexis asked in surprise when Atticus explained.
"Judging by that reaction… my adorable little sister already has someone in mind, doesn't she?" Atticus narrowed his eyes teasingly. "Whoever it is, your big bro will fully support your love!"
"It's not love…" Alexis opened her deck, cheeks red. "I just wanted to find a chance to thank her, that's all."
It really was just gratitude—the blessing of Duel Spirits wasn't the focus.
Night. Academy Island. Volcano—
Unlike the students eagerly awaiting tomorrow's After-Festival Night, Kaibaman stood atop the island's highest point—the live volcano—gazing down at the lights below.
"You're looking forward to it too, Kaibaman?" A man appeared behind him, pushing up his glasses.
"Hmph. Banner, huh." Without turning around, Kaibaman recognized him instantly.
"Looking forward to things… that's a human emotion. Spirits are only observers—witnesses who record the turning of history."
Banner smiled mysteriously.
"But for a Spirit like you to help the Headmistress deal with a Shadow Rider… that's unlike your usual style."
"I only owed her. And besides, even without me, they wouldn't have accomplished much."
"You're not wrong." Standing beside him, Banner gazed out over the island as well.
In the darkness of the island night, only the Duel Academy building glowed brightly.
"The Shadow Riders are nothing but pitiful sacrifices. The remaining two will likely move tomorrow. And then… the direction of the two worlds—Spirit and Human—will finally be revealed."
Kaibaman snorted coldly.
"Two? Don't kid me."
Based on those defeated so far, there should clearly be three remaining.
Banner simply didn't count himself.
"The shadow of the seventh… As the strongest of the Shadow Riders, Banner—have you prepared yourself?"
At Kaibaman's question, Banner's momentary seriousness vanished, replaced by his usual warm smile.
"I accepted my fate in my previous life, nya. But lately, life at the academy has become rather fun… I'm actually a little reluctant now, nya."
---
The next day—
The second half of the Academy Festival proceeded as planned. Jonouchi, busy as ever, had managed to take two full days off to stay on the island. Honda, after finishing his work, finally arrived that morning as well.
But Hoshino was absent on Day 2.
Early that morning, she received an urgent email from Kaiba, summoning her to KaibaCorp. Right before entering, Hoshino muttered at the front door,
"He really picked the most important day of the festival to drag me out here. This guy is getting way too arrogant—does he think I eat rice from his house?!"
Mokuba scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Uh… Hoshino-san, the CEO's office is soundproof, but… the entrance hallway does have audio surveillance…"