Wrapping the key pendant around her left wrist like a bracelet, Youmi, still not reverted into Fallen of Albaz, sat on the balcony of her newly constructed personal dormitory, waving to Jaden below.
"Eh… a detached building, huh. That's really nice. Makes it convenient for you to live together with your cheating cats."
At this moment, Lady Lab had removed her armor, wearing only the silver-white casual outfit she had transformed into, sitting on the sofa and looking at Youmi with a face full of jealousy.
Arias stood beside her, holding a tray with various tea snacks in her right hand while flicking a biscuit away with her left.
A yellow figure instantly appeared in front of the biscuit and swallowed it whole.
"Miss Arias, please refrain from teasing my little sister. Otherwise, even if you are acquainted with that brat, I will no longer tolerate your rudeness."
Grabbing Ecclesia by the collar and pulling her back behind herself, Fleurdelis glared at Arias with hostility, looking as though she was about to draw her sword.
After patting Ecclesia and sending her off to play with Kitt, Fleurdelis showed a smug expression. "You suddenly appeared at this school, barged into that brat's dorm, and even seem quite close with him… Even if Ten Thousand Dragon said you were once his partners, that was only in the past, wasn't it?"
"Oh my, is that really the kind of role you're playing? If your goal is simply to provoke us, then I'm afraid whether it's our young lady…"
As if by accident, Arias's silver tray bumped into the back of Lady Lab's head, then she cast a glance at Youmi, who wasn't paying attention over here.
"…or our second young lady, both have rather high stress tolerance. Especially the second young lady—after obtaining the abilities of that boy called Fallen of Albaz, she seems to have been under constant pressure. Truly an unfortunate ability."
Abruptly, being mentioned, Youmi glanced back, unsure why she had been dragged into it. "Hm?"
At that very moment, the Seven Stars key in Youmi's hand suddenly began to glow.
At the same time, Jaden's key and the dark artifact pendant on his body also lit up.
The surrounding environment shifted abruptly, and Youmi and Jaden were simultaneously teleported onto a barrier suspended above molten lava. Appearing there together with them was Alexis Rhodes.
"Oh? I merely sensed the presence of the keys and the light of that strangely familiar artifact, but to think I'd encounter three key holders at once? In that case, I won't stand on ceremony in taking your keys."
A black-clad masked man appeared before them. On his body hung a dark artifact similar to the pendant Jaden wore, seemingly originally part of the same whole.
"My name is Nightshroud, a member of the 'Seven Stars.' Come, guardians of the Seven Stars Gate keys. Let us begin a Shadow Game~"
In the hands of the man calling himself Nightshroud was a Duel Disk of the same model as Jaden's, already loaded with a deck.
Although Jaden was very concerned about the Shadow Game he mentioned, he still stepped forward to accept the challenge.
"Hey, Atticus? Wearing a mask like that for cosplay, is it really that fun?"
Reaching out to stop Jaden and Alexis, Youmi directly dropped a bombshell. "Your sister, Alexis, is right here. Have you really lost every trace of yourself?"
Alexis looked at Youmi in surprise, then at Nightshroud. "Eh? That's… my brother?"
Youmi was left a bit speechless by her reaction. "Don't tell me you really can't recognize him. That hairstyle, there shouldn't be a second person in Duel Academy with the exact same one, right?"
Alexis shook her head and then looked at Nightshroud. "The hairstyle is the same, but the presence feels downright different… I can't really say for sure. But are you really my brother?! Why would you call yourself Nightshroud and become one of the 'Seven Stars'?"
As for their exchange, Atticus wasn't just unresponsive; at most, he showed an irritated attitude.
"Must duelists on the field really chatter endlessly about family matters? If you don't intend to duel, then step aside."
Youmi took out the new Duel Disk given to her by Kaiba and put on the data receiver.
Five cards popped out of the Duel Disk as her opening hand. Youmi asked, "Who said I wasn't going to duel? I just wanted to settle one matter before the duel, that's all.
"Though, since your consciousness is in control, I'll drop it. Nightshroud—this duel is a Shadow Game, so what are the stakes for both sides?"
Nightshroud took a blank card out of his pocket.
"There is nothing within this card yet, but in this duel, the loser must seal their soul inside it. That is all. A duel that wagers the life and everything of a duelist—that is the kind of battle I pursue."
Having understood the rules of this game, Youmi nodded in agreement and said, "Then the stakes are confirmed. Nightshroud, you're using Atticus' body and suppressing his soul. If you lose, don't think you can go back on it."
Nightshroud also drew five cards and smiled. "I am not such a despicable villain.
"Still, for you to choose to face me directly is quite refreshing. I apologize for calling you long-winded earlier.
"However, I wonder, in a Shadow Game with real pain, how long your decisiveness and composure will last. Will you be crushed in an instant, kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy?"
"That remains to be seen…" Unfazed by Nightshroud's provocation, Youmi instead spoke to Alexis and Jaden beside her. "In any case, leave this duel to me. I'll deal with this guy called Nightshroud and take Atticus back."
Jaden gave Youmi a thumbs-up. "I really want to duel too, but since he's your opponent. Good luck, Youmi."
Alexis Rhodes made a sincere request. "Please, Youmi."
"DUEL!" ×2
TURN.1
"First move is mine—draw!"
Youmi replenished her hand to six cards. After a brief check, she played a Spell Card.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Branded in High Spirits. I reveal Kidmodo Dragon in my hand, then send Albion the Branded Dragon to the Graveyard since it's the same Type."
"After that, I discard Kidmodo Dragon and add to my hand Springans Kitt, a card that lists Fallen of Albaz in its text, from my Deck."
Youmi discarded the cute Kidmodo Dragon from her hand, but Kidmodo did not fall silent right away. Instead, it popped its head out and cried out once.
"Kidmodo Dragon's effect activates. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 Dragon monster from my hand. As the cost, this turn I cannot Special Summon non-Dragon monsters, and I cannot conduct my Battle Phase. I Special Summon Albaz the Ashen from my hand."
Responding to Kidmodo Dragon's call, the disheveled Fallen of Albaz appeared on the field, holding his iceblade dagger.
"Next, I Normal Summon Springans Kitt, and activate her effect to add 1 Branded Spell/Trap from my Deck, Graveyard, or Banished cards to my hand, then I place 1 card from my hand on the bottom of my Deck."
"I add Branded Fusion to my hand and activate it immediately. This card lets me Fusion Summon a Fusion Monster that uses Fallen of Albaz as material. In that case, the materials are sent to the Graveyard from my hand, Deck, or field."
Youmi tapped the holographic display showing her Deck contents twice.
"The monster I choose is Titaniklad the Ash Dragon. The monsters I send to the Graveyard as materials are Fallen of Albaz and Dragonmaid Ernus."
"Titaniklad the Ash Dragon's Attack increases by the combined original Levels of the monsters used as material ×100. Fallen of Albaz and Ernus total 12 Levels, so its Attack increases by 1200, reaching 3700."
""Next, I Set two cards. Turn end."
Just as Nightshroud was about to draw, Youmi suddenly stopped him.
"Not so fast. The effect of Albion the Branded Dragon in the Graveyard activates. During the End Phase of the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard, I can add 1 Branded Spell/Trap from my Deck to my hand or Set it on my field. I Set the Quick-Play Spell Light of the Branded."
TURN.2
"Hmph, just a bunch of petty tricks. Still, since you're using Dragon monsters, I'll at least compliment your taste. My turn—draw."
After Nightshroud drew a card from his Deck, he suddenly let out a cold laugh.
"Ahahahahaha, looks like this is where it ends. I activate Red-Eyes Fusion. For the rest of this turn, I cannot Normal or Special Summon monsters except by this card's effect. As the cost, I send the Fusion Materials listed on the Fusion Monster from my hand, Deck, or field to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon a Fusion Monster that uses a Red-Eyes monster as material from my Extra Deck!"
Seeing Nightshroud use a card with the Red-Eyes archetype, Alexis suddenly cried out, "That's my brother's Red-Eyes Deck! But… did his Deck even have a card like that…?"
Compared to Alexis's excitement, Jaden looked a little dejected. "Huh… everyone keeps using Fusion Spells that send materials from the Deck. Why don't I have any like that…?"
"I send Level 7 Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Level 6 Red-Eyes Black Meteor Dragon from my Deck to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon! Jet-black dragon descending from the heavens, tear through the skies and burn our enemies to ash! Meteor Black Comet Dragon!"
A blazing sphere of light crashed down onto the field. A wave of heat spread outward, revealing the evolved form of Meteor Black Dragon.
"Meteor Black Comet Dragon's effect activates! When this card is Fusion Summoned, I can send 1 Red-Eyes monster from my hand or Deck to the Graveyard, then inflict damage to my opponent equal to half that monster's original Attack."
"I send Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon with 2800 Attack to the Graveyard, so you take 1400 damage! Meteor Flame!"
Nightshroud pointed straight at Youmi. At the same time, Meteor Black Comet Dragon gathered energy and fired a blazing fireball at her.
[Youmi, LP: 4000 → 2600]
"Ugh! That really burns… but is that all you've got?"
Since she was no longer hiding her identity, Youmi wasn't wearing a maid outfit. She publicly claimed she had temporarily turned into a girl due to a failed alchemy experiment, and since she didn't have a red girls' uniform, she changed into a black-and-white androgynous outfit instead.
At this moment, the clothes Youmi liked so much were already partially charred, smoke rising from them.
"I'm not done yet. I activate Inferno Fire Blast. I target 1 Red-Eyes Black Dragon in my Monster Zone. I inflict damage to my opponent equal to that Red-Eyes Black Dragon's original Attack. As the cost, during the turn this card is activated, Red-Eyes Black Dragon cannot attack! That should finish it!"
Nightshroud laughed arrogantly, while Jaden and Alexis, watching from the side, were baffled.
Confused, Jaden asked, "Even if you say that, you don't have Red-Eyes Black Dragon on your field at all. That card's in the Graveyard, right?"
"Hahahahaha! A monster Fusion Summoned using Red-Eyes Fusion is treated as Red-Eyes Black Dragon by name. So my target is Meteor Black Comet Dragon, which is treated as Red-Eyes Black Dragon. I deal you its original Attack—3500 damage! There's no need to use this card anymore."
Nightshroud glanced at the card in his hand.
It was a Continuous Spell.
"In that case, 4000 minus 1400, then minus 3500… Youmi, watch out!"
Nightshroud's Meteor Black Comet Dragon fired a magenta-black Inferno Fire Blast, slamming straight into Youmi.
...
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