Beside the Obelisk Blue dorm, Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle stood in place.
Under the moonlight, her silver armor gleamed with regal brilliance.
Her elegant butler waited respectfully at her side.
"You've arrived, You… hmm?"
She turned around, only to find that the person before her was not the one she expected. Confusion flickered across her face.
The newcomer was a student wearing the blue-and-white Academy uniform. He stared sternly at the Lady Labrynth before him and said, "Are you the legendary Duelist, Miss Youmi? I am Zane Truesdale, a student of Duel Academy. I don't know why you've suddenly appeared after years of silence, but the Deck in your hand belongs to the school's exhibition. Please return it."
Realizing he had mistaken her for her dear friend Youmi, Lady Labrynth shook her head.
"Though I once used a similar appearance, I am not Youmi. In truth, I am here waiting for her. Isn't she supposed to be a student of your school's highest dorm? I assumed she would have known of my visit by now."
"We do have a student named Youmi, but he belongs to Slifer Red, not Obelisk Blue. And if you mean a girl, then she would be living in the girls' Obelisk dorm."
Zane pointed toward the nearby building. "Also, if you are not the legendary Duelist, then you have no proper claim to that Deck. Please stop this pointless cosplay and return it."
"I see…" Lady Labrynth raised her silver Duel Disk. Inserted within it was the unsleeved replica Labrynth Deck. "I won't deny that this Deck is one of your school's exhibits. Nonetheless, right now, it is of great importance to me, so I cannot give it back."
Her appearance here was the result of a deal with Ten Thousand Dragon. After her previous arrival caused a rupture in the timeline, she alone was permitted to manifest anew with a form never before seen in this world, accompanied by her butler. To complete her Deck, she had no choice but to borrow the replica.
"But if we are duelists, then let us settle this through a duel, yes? If you defeat me in a duel, then although I will be quite upset about being unable to duel my dear Youmi, I will still return the Deck desuwa~"
Seeing Zane's expression sharpen with determination, she offered gently, "Since I was the one who intruded first, I don't mind letting you choose first or second. Consider it my concession."
Zane accepted the duel, but out of respect, warned her, "If I get to choose, the duel will start at a disadvantage for you. Are you certain?"
"If I lose because of that, then the fault lies with me. You need not worry~ Besides…"
Lady Labrynth turned her Duel Disk toward Zane, smiling with absolute confidence. "To meet my beloved Youmi and share a deeply meaningful exchange with her, there is no way I would lose★ And calling this cosplay? I can't let you escape paying for that"
Her gaze sharpened.
"If that is so, then I will apologize. However, after the duel," Zane said, nodding. He seemed to recognize that he had angered her but chose to prioritize protocol, issuing his challenge. "DUEL!"
"Duel~"
Turn 1
"If this is the Duel King's Deck, then going second would mean immediate defeat… I choose to go first!"
Zane declared powerfully, drawing a card. "Draw Phase, Standby Phase, Main Phase! I activate Cyber Emergency, adding a Cyber Dragon or LIGHT Machine monster that cannot be Normal Summoned from my Deck. I choose Cyber Dragon Core!"
He searched the key monster that would lead him to Cybernetic Overflow—a card highly effective against trap-heavy Decks. Just as he prepared to Summon it—
Lady Labrynth spoke.
"The moment Cyber Dragon Core reaches your hand, I send Arias the Labrynth Butler from my hand to the Graveyard to activate her effect desuwa. I can either Special Summon a Labrynth monster from my hand, or Set a Normal Trap that can be activated this turn"
Zane watched Arias present a Trap Card with impeccable courtesy.
"Impossible… You can use such powerful cards even though Makyura the Destructor was banned long ago? And that Deck shouldn't contain anything like this. The legendary Duelist Youmi hasn't appeared for four years!"
"Why ask? Obviously, this is power I added myself~"
Lady Labrynth Set a card, then revealed another from her hand. "Next is my own effect. During either player's turn, when a Labrynth card or Normal Trap other than a card with this card's name is activated: I Special Summon this card from my hand in Defense Position~"
A demon queen identical to her, bearing twin blades and horned adornments, appeared on the field. Behind her was the Normal Trap Set by Arianna.
Moments after the duel began, Fallen of Albaz—still wearing Youmi's uniform—arrived with Jaden following behind.
"Youmi, why did you run this way? Didn't Bastion say the thief is at the exhibition hall?" Even Jaden was out of breath from running. "Huh? Zane is dueling. Against… is that the legendary Duelist Youmi? Whose turn is it now?"
Knowing Youmi's true identity and sensing a spirit duel, Fallen of Albaz shook his head. "Not the legendary Duelist. Probably the Deck thief. Maybe even two of them. As for whose turn it is, look, Zane has no cards on his field. That means it's that woman's turn."
In his rush, Fallen had completely forgotten to mask his unnatural stamina.
Lady Labrynth, with hearing sharp enough to catch the word "Youmi," glanced over—but upon not seeing the one she sought, she returned to the duel.
"Next—I flip my Set card! Normal Trap, Welcome Labrynth! It seems you have no chain. Then Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle's effect activates! When a Normal Trap is activated, I Set one Normal Trap with a different name directly from my Deck I Set Eradicator Epidemic Virus"
She displayed the Eradicator Epidemic Virus before Setting it, then resolved Welcome Labrynth.
"Welcome Labrynth resolves~ I Special Summon a Labrynth monster from my Deck. After this card resolves, until the end of the next turn, I can only Special Summon Fiend monsters from my Deck or Extra Deck. I Special Summon Arianna the Labrynth Servant."
A small devilish maid with green bat wings appeared beside Lady Labrynth. With her key, she opened a door—inside which a clock tumbled out.
As a response to the animation, Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle's Duel Disk ejected a card from the Deck, which landed neatly into her hand.
"I activate this child's effect. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one Labrynth card from my Deck to my hand, except a card with the same name. I choose Labrynth Cooclock Now then, if you still have plays, do continue"
"Eradicator Epidemic Virus… I recall it destroys Spell or Trap Cards from the field and hand. But since I can't use it this turn anyway… then—"
For him, the legendary Youmi was a Duelist who appeared four years ago; there was no need to research a relic from the past. Thus, he truly did not know Labrynth Cooclock's effect and had no reason to prepare for it.
"I Normal Summon Cyber Dragon Core. I activate its effect to add one Cyber Spell/Trap from my Deck to my hand. I add Cybernetic Overflow!"
Watching from the side, Jaden exclaimed, "Huh?! This is Zane's turn?! She's doing a T0 setup during the opponent's turn… that's so strong! She has to be the legendary Duelist Youmi!"
"Next, I Tribute Cyber Dragon Core and Special Summon Cyber Chimera in Defense Position. I activate Cyber Chimera's effect: I send Fusion Materials from my hand or field to the Graveyard as listed on a Machine Fusion Monster card, and Fusion Summon that monster from my Extra Deck. I send Cyber Dragon Herz and Cyber Dragon to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon Chimeratech Rampage Dragon!"
Chimeratech Rampage Dragon, when Fusion Summoned, can target Spells/Traps on the field up to the number of Fusion Materials used and destroy them. Clearing Eradicator Epidemic Virus would allow him to save Cybernetic Overflow for later.
But Lady Labrynth immediately raised her hand to interrupt him.
"Chaining to your Cyber Chimera's effect, I discard Labrynth Cooclock from my hand to activate its effect. By discarding this card, if I have a Labrynth monster on my field, I may activate a Normal Trap the turn it is Set. This is a Quick Effect, so I can use it during your turn as well~"
"Nani…?! Then, in that case, resolving my Fusion effect, I change targets! I instead Fusion Summon Cyber Eternity Dragon using Cyber Chimera, Cyber Dragon Herz, and Cyber Dragon as materials! When this card is Fusion Summoned, I activate Herz's effect to add a Cyber Dragon from my Deck to my hand! Any chain?"
Zane was gambling—hoping she did not know Cybernetic Overflow searches a Cyber card when destroyed on the field.
However, Lady Labrynth was not fooled.
"At this moment, I flip my Set card—Eradicator Epidemic Virus! I Tribute Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle and declare Traps. All your Spells/Traps on the field and in your hand, and all cards you draw for the next three turns on your turns that are Traps, are destroyed. Since I declared Traps, all Trap Cards are destroyed desuwa!"
Zane grimaced and revealed his remaining hand:
Cybernetic Overflow, Overload Fusion, Limiter Removal.
"Then Cybernetic Overflow is destroyed You may now add a Cyber Dragon or recover Cyber Dragon Core from your Graveyard"
Hearing her speak with such familiarity toward his archetype, Zane realized his gamble had failed. With no choice, he retrieved Cyber Dragon Core and ended his turn.
"No need to rush. End Phase—I discard Absolute King Back Jack and Labrynth Chandraglier, and activate Chandraglier's effect to Set Labrynth Labyrinth from my Deck."
"Next, Labrynth Cooclock's effect and Absolute King Back Jack's effect activate: Cooclock returns to my hand, and Back Jack lets me look at the top three cards of my Deck and place them in any order. And now… it's showtime!"
Lady Labrynth pulled Absolute King Back Jack from her Graveyard and tucked him into a gap in her armor.
"Absolute King Back Jack's effect activates! During your turn, I banish this card from my Graveyard: I reveal the top card of my Deck. If it's a Normal Trap, I Set it; otherwise, it's sent to the Graveyard."
"And since I already checked the order… of course it's a Trap! I Set Welcome Labrynth, Big Welcome Labrynth—and activate it right away! Come forth—my elegant and resplendent true form: Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle!"
Wearing a billowing silver dress and wielding a twin-bladed axe, the demon queen manifested in this world for the first time in at least four years—striking a dramatic "Kira~★" pose.
"Big Welcome Labrynth's effect: I Special Summon one Labrynth monster from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard. Then I return one monster on my field to the hand. I return Arianna the Labrynth Servant. And because a monster left my field due to a Normal Trap's effect, Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle's effect activates—randomly destroying one card in your hand~"
A silver light enveloped one of Zane's cards—randomly selecting and destroying his Overload Fusion.
"Well then, you may continue your—Ah, my apologies. It's already the End Phase, isn't it~?"
Lady Labrynth looked upon the trembling Zane with pure delight.
Turn.2
"My turn, draw! Main Phase—I discard Labrynth Cooclock from my hand, then activate my elegant effect to Set Welcome Labrynth from my Graveyard. Welcome Labrynth activates↗ I Special Summon Labrynth Archfiend from my Deck. Archfiend dear's effect activates, adding Mirror Force from my Deck… though that hardly matters~"
Lady Labrynth casually pulled a card from her Deck and Special Summoned Labrynth Archfiend without even bothering to activate her Field Spell.
"In the Graveyard, Big Welcome Labrynth activates! I banish it to target one Fiend monster on my field and return it to the hand. But because I have a Level 8 or higher Fiend, I may instead target an opponent's card! So that eyesore—Cyber Eternity Dragon—disappear for me!"
Perhaps from excitement, Lady Labrynth even forgot her signature desuwa, her Minotaur blood showing. Her smile was pleasant, but being interrupted when she was in a good mood, waiting for Youmi, had ignited a vicious light in her silver eyes. She flicked Cyber Eternity Dragon off the field.
"Don't forget: when a Normal Trap causes a monster to leave the field, Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle activates, and your last card in hand is unnecessary. Say goodbye If I recall… it was Limiter Removal Sayonara~"
Lovely Labrynth swung her axe, a violent gust blowing through. Zane's final card was destroyed. Already in a hopeless position in his own turn, he dropped to one knee in despair.
"Then, Battle Phase—Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle and Labrynth Archfiend attack directly."
"That ends it."
She turned away, letting her monsters strike Zane from both sides. "Though you lost, there's no need to dwell on it Duels require both luck and the strength to seize it. Work harder and try again After all, the only one I'm here for is Youmi. You are not, nor could ever be, my opponent."
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!!"
[Zane, LP: 4000 → 0]
"That scream… yes, that pitiful sound suits me… no, suits us best. I'd love to hear her make such a lovely sound too."
Perhaps due to her armored form, Lady Labrynth seemed even bolder than before.
Hearing Youmi's name from Lady Labrynth's lips, Fallen of Albaz immediately called her.
"Boss! We found the Deck thief! She's way too strong! That same Zane who obliterated you, she OTK'd him! And—"
Before he could say Lady Labrynth was here for Youmi, Jaden snatched the phone. "It's Yuyumi, right?! It's Youmi! The legendary Duelist Youmi—it has to be her! Yuyumi, hurry over! I'm gonna battle her too!"
Lady Labrynth tapped her toe and leapt onto the lamppost, calling to the approaching boys:
"Now, now there should be someone here named Youmi, yes? Please bring her to me I've been waiting for our reunion desuwa"
When Youmi finally arrived—lifting her dress as she ran—the sight before her was Lady Labrynth, who had just defeated two Duelists in a row.
Bathed in silver moonlight, sensing Youmi's presence, Lady Labrynth dropped gracefully from the lamppost and landed before her. Taller than Youmi, she bent down and lifted Youmi's chin with one hand.
"I've waited so long for you… Youmi~"
In the beauty of the night, the mistress of the labyrinth—the Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle—spoke Youmi's true name for all to hear.
...
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