Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 371

Illya's dagger gleamed as it slashed across Mash's armor—but it didn't leave a single scratch.

Although Hundred Faces Illya had the effect to bypass Mash and attack White Hoshino directly, the current situation made it clear that Hoshino had no intention of using that effect.

"You actually chose to attack Mash? You really are an idiot... Because of Mash Alter's effect of not being destroyed in battle, only Hundred Faces Illya will be destroyed!"

Crack—!

A sharp snapping sound rang out as the dagger, which had struck the armor, shattered naturally.

"That was just self-destruction…"

Mash, completely unfazed by Illya's attack, calmly swung her spear, shattering the black shadow that had tried to sneak up behind her.

[Magical Girl – Hundred Faces Illya Destroyed]

[Mash Alter ATK 2000 → 1000]

"When Hundred Faces Illya is destroyed, I can add Phantasm Summoning from my Graveyard to my hand!"

White Hoshino remained indifferent. "So what? Phantasm Summoning can only be activated once per turn. Even if you add it now, you can't use it immediately to summon a new Fusion Monster."

"You're absolutely right. But that's not what I'm activating."

Hoshino smirked at White Hoshino's taunt, placing Phantasm Summoning into her hand while sliding another card into her Duel Disk.

"What I'm activating is the Quick-Play Spell—[Wolves of Mibu]!"

The black shadow swept away by Mash Alter's spear slowly reformed, taking a new shape different from Hundred Faces Illya—a figure clad in a violet cloak, resembling a witch.

"Wolves of Mibu's effect: When a Heroic Spirit Fusion Monster is destroyed, I can activate this. By using at least one of the same Fusion Materials as the destroyed monster, I can Fusion Summon another monster! However, the drawback is that the summoned monster can't declare an attack."

Hoshino pulled a new Fusion Monster from her Extra Deck and placed it onto her Duel Disk.

"—Fusion Summon Magical Girl – Medea Illya, in Defense Position!"

[Magical Girl – Medea Illya ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)]

[DARK / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect]

[ATK 1000 / DEF 1000]

[This card is also treated as a "Heroic Spirit" monster.]

The newly materialized Medea Illya patted her nonexistent chest with a sigh of relief.

"Phew~ Master, if you make me do something this dangerous again, I'll use my power to turn you into a little pig!"

"Medea…" White Hoshino narrowed her eyes at the newly summoned magical girl, clearly unfamiliar with the card's effect.

"I made a declaration earlier—I said I would take back my beloved Mash! Now it's time to fulfill that promise! After ending my Battle Phase, Medea Illya's effect activates!"

[By banishing one "Fusion" Spell from your Deck, you can apply its effect.]

A Fusion Spell was drawn from Hoshino's Deck and sent to the banished zone. Since the effect was now applied, Hoshino had effectively activated a Fusion Spell.

"So Hoshino actually has a standard Fusion card in his Deck?"

Jonouchi, who had seen Hoshino use flashy, Heroic Spirit-exclusive Fusion Spells until now, found it refreshing to see a basic Fusion spell in action.

"Moreover, while Medea Illya is on my field, I can use my opponent's monsters as Fusion Materials! The materials for this Fusion are…"

Hoshino retrieved a card she had returned to her hand last turn, sliding it into the Graveyard with a smooth motion.

"—I'm using Okita from my hand, and your Mash Alter from your field, as materials for Fusion Summon!"

"Damn it, she had this move ready too…" Hakusei cursed under her breath. Mash Alter, who couldn't be destroyed by battle or effects, was now being forcibly removed through Fusion.

It was the same level of counterplay as when Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon had been taken down.

"Fusion?! Why am I fusing with that sick woman?! The only one I truly want to merge with is Senpai!!"

Mash Alter struggled against the Fusion energy pulling her in.

Hoshino, grinning wickedly, watched as Mash's armor began to dissolve. "Even though you sound reluctant, your body seems surprisingly cooperative~ Just stop resisting, Mash—come back to me!"

The light of Fusion burst forth, merging Mash and Okita into a new, highly specialized Fusion Summon.

"Amidst snowflakes that dispel the darkness, the fragile dream castle signals the future! Spirit Origin Exoskeleton—Fusion Summon, in Defense Position! Heroic Spirit – Mash Kyrielight Ortenaus!"

[Heroic Spirit – Mash Kyrielight Ortenaus ★★★★★ (Level 5)]

[EARTH / Warrior / Fusion / Effect]

[ATK 1000 / DEF 2000]

[2 Warrior-Type "Heroic Spirit" monsters]

Emerging through the radiant Fusion light, Mash appeared wielding a massive jet-powered shield. However, what didn't match her cool, armored appearance was the deep red blush glowing on her cheeks.

"S-Senpai… I think I said something really strange just now… That was just the influence of my Alter, not my true feelings!"

Though she had returned to her normal self, Mash's memories remained intact, causing an intense wave of embarrassment.

Watching her flustered state, Hoshino couldn't help but tease, "So it wasn't your true feelings? Mash doesn't actually want to sleep with me? That's disappointing~"

Mash suddenly shook her head in a panic. "Ah, no, it's not that! If Senpai is willing, then—"

Realizing too late that Hoshino had been teasing her, Mash's face turned a deeper shade of crimson.

"Senpai, please forget everything that just happened! If necessary, I'll use my shield to help you forget—so just hurry up and lose your memory already!"

"Helping me forget using a shield? That's way too cruel, Mash! Maybe some of that Alter personality is still lingering after all…"

Successfully reclaiming Mash, Hoshino shot a provocative look at White Hoshino across the field.

"How about that? What's mine will always be mine! I'll set one card and end my turn."

[Hoshino's: 0 Hand Card | 1 Set Card]

"During the End Phase, since Medea Illya's effect was activated, she will be destroyed, and I will take damage equal to Mash's ATK, which was used as Fusion material."

[Magical Girl – Medea Illya destroyed]

[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 1000 → 2000]

After several rounds of relentless back-and-forth exchanges, both players had nearly exhausted their resources.

"My turn—draw!"

White Hoshino, now staring at an empty field, had only two cards left in hand after drawing this turn. Though she had prepared herself for a grueling match, she hadn't expected Hoshino to hold out so stubbornly—even against a full-power Alter.

"This is the first time I've hated my own stubbornness so much... But that just makes victory all the more satisfying!"

Without immediately playing any of her limited cards, White Hoshino first activated the effect of a monster in her Graveyard.

"I activate the Graveyard effect of Gilgamesh (Young)!"

[①: If this card is in the Graveyard, you can add 1 monster with "Gilgamesh" in its name from your Deck to your hand.]

"The card I'm adding is Heroic Spirit – Gilgamesh Alter!"

Seeing White Hoshino retrieve a card from her Deck, Hoshino felt a chill run down his spine.

"Even that Goldy has an Alter form? That just feels... wrong. In every possible way..."

"And now, I banish Gilgamesh, which I sent to the Graveyard last turn via All the Evils of This World, to Special Summon Heroic Spirit – Gilgamesh Alter from my hand!"

Last turn, White Hoshino had deliberately discarded a card to summon Karna Alter—but in truth, she had already been laying the groundwork for this play.

"Descend upon us, the oldest darkness in human history! Tear apart the skies with your roaring Sword of Rupture, and lead me to victory in this duel!"

[Heroic Spirit – Gilgamesh Alter ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)][DARK][Warrior/Effect][ATK ??? / DEF ???]

[Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by banishing 1 "Heroic Spirit - King of Heroes Gilgamesh" from your field or Graveyard.]

This was the very same card that had once overwhelmed even Holmes. Emerging from a field of swirling dark energy, Gilgamesh Alter wore a mysterious, unreadable smile.

"Gilgamesh Alter's effect activates—when Special Summoned, I equip as many Equip Spells as possible from my Deck to him, negating their effects. For each Equip Spell, his ATK increases by 1000!"

[Gilgamesh Alter ATK 5000]

White Hoshino immediately pulled five Equip Spells from her Deck, placing them in the Spell & Trap Zone. Though their effects were negated, they still served as fuel for Gilgamesh Alter's might.

Hoshino bit his thumb, feeling the pressure mount.

"A straight-up 5000 ATK boost? That's a problem... But my Mash is absolute defense. Just stacking attack points won't be enough to break through."

Mash now possessed both taunt and destruction immunity. She had become an impenetrable shield—not just for Hoshino, but for humanity itself.

Gilgamesh's smile widened.

"So, you seek to block my attack with a shield? Not bad, mongrel. Not bad at all."

Hoshino flinched.

"...Wait. Did I just hear that correctly, Mash?"

Mash nodded.

"You did, Senpai. The King of Heroes actually just... complimented someone… And his tone... it sounds unexpectedly polite?"

Indeed, Gilgamesh's tone was refined and courteous—except for the part where he still called them mongrels.

"You're that happy just because I praised you? No need to be so tense. As long as you serve me well, I will not hesitate to reward you. Be it verbal praise... or treasures from my vault~"

Hoshino flinched again.

"...Mash, did that shiny guy just offer us treasures?! Is that normal?"

Mash shook her head frantically.

"Extremely not normal, Senpai! The usual King of Heroes is so stingy that anyone who even tries to touch his treasures gets dissected on the spot!"

Illya, who had been quietly listening, let out a sigh with a complex expression.

"...Just how bad do you guys think grown-up Gil is? You're making it sound like his Alter version is the better person..."

"That's right! This is Gilgamesh Alter!"

Realization struck Hoshino.

"So that selfish, arrogant, prideful King of Heroes... has now turned into a generous, gentlemanly, humble, and charming big brother type?!"

Mash's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"So blackening isn't always a bad thing, Senpai!"

White Hoshino smirked.

"...That's an amusing take. Even I thought Gil Alter seemed easier to deal with…"

But just as quickly, her smirk turned razor-sharp.

"But sometimes, what you see isn't always the truth. Gilgamesh Alter's special effect—activate!"

[If this card is the only monster on your field, you can send 1 equipped Equip Spell to the Graveyard to target and destroy 1 monster on the opponent's field.]

Plucking one of the equipped Spells and sending it to the Graveyard, White Hoshino unleashed a storm of black treasures raining down from above.

[Gilgamesh Alter ATK 5000 → 4000]

"If you truly seek my favor, then let my treasures embrace you! ...In the form of a thousand spears piercing through your body!"

"HE'S NOT EASY TO DEAL WITH AT ALL!" Hoshino shouted, instantly realizing White Hoshino's true intent.

The original King of Heroes had a terrible personality, but at his core, he wasn't truly evil—just a massive tsundere.

But this version—Gilgamesh Alter—though courteous and seemingly refined, concealed a cunning, sadistic heart beneath his charming veneer.

"...Since Mash Ortenaus can't be destroyed, I'll target Illya instead!"

A torrential downpour of blackened Noble Phantasms descended, all aimed at the small-statured Illya.

"Not happening! I activate my Set Quick-Play Spell Phantasm Summoning—by banishing Illya as a Fusion Material, the effect loses its target and fizzles!"

Knowing that White Hoshino wouldn't stop at just one effect, Hoshino had to use Phantasm Summoning wisely.

"Then—Fusion Summon! Magical Girl – Merlin Illya!"

(*****)

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