Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 652

"—Xyz Summon Devouring Deathfang Beast – Cu Chulainn Alter'!"

[Devouring Deathfang Beast – Cu Chulainn Alter ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (Rank 9)][DARK][Beast-Warrior/Xyz/Effect][ATK 4500/DEF 3000]

[3 Beast-Warrior monsters]

Tearing through the light of the Xyz Summon, Cu Chulainn's deep voice rumbled from within his armor.

"Being able to push my power to this extent… impressive, Master!"

"Using three monsters that originally had 3000 ATK to Xyz Summon a 4500 ATK Cu Chulainn Alter, huh."

The corner of Kaiba Man's mouth curled beneath the mask as he acknowledged it.

"That Xyz play just now… unexpectedly good!"

"Devouring Deathfang Beast – Cu Chulainn Alter is unaffected by the effects of your opponent's monsters, so it won't be forcibly Tributed by the effect of Teardrop the Rikka Queen!"

That was what true pressure looked like.

Although gathering three Level 9 Beast-Warrior monsters was extremely difficult, a single Xyz Summon was enough to gain absolute power capable of suppressing all three Rikka Queen Xyz monsters.

Queen Mardel's long eyebrows lifted slightly. Clearly, she hadn't expected Hoshino Alter and Minazuki to use three monsters as Xyz Materials so decisively.

Or rather… that subtle twitch of her brow even carried a trace of "pleasant surprise."

"Well, this is unexpected. It seems this duel will end right here."

Flipping open the last face-down card at her feet, Mardel smiled.

"I activate the Set Trap Card—[Xyz Reversal]."

[Xyz Reversal – Trap Effect: Target 1 face-up Xyz Monster your opponent controls and 1 face-up Xyz Monster you control; switch control of both monsters.]

Picking up the card of the small, spirit-like girl from her Duel Disk, Mardel declared:

"I choose Rikka Queen Strenna on my field and Devouring Deathfang Beast – Cu Chulainn Alter on your field. The control of the two monsters will be exchanged."

Minazuki immediately sensed trouble.

"You're actually planning to trade this little spirit girl… for the Xyz born from the love between me and the Headmistress?!"

Alexis snapped back in alarm.

"What do you mean by love?! Minazuki, watch what you're saying!"

"Hm… such a cute little flower spirit girl…"

Although it was clearly an unfair trade, the moment she heard she might gain control of Rikka Queen Strenna, Hoshino Alter hesitated for a split second.

["Accept it!"]

"Of course I won't accept that!"

After quickly weighing the situation, Hoshino Alter knew that if the control actually changed, the duel would be lost on the spot.

"I knew this card would come in handy! When the control of a monster on the field changes, I can chain this effect and summon a monster from my hand—Heroic Spirit – Diarmuid Ua Duibhne!!"

A shining card was drawn from her hand. Accompanied by Diarmuid's earth-shaking battle cry, his twin spears swept out a raging gale that split the battlefield.

"OHHHHHH! Behold the storm of loyalty stirred up by me—Diarmuid, the foremost lancer of the Fianna Knights!"

[Effect: ① When control of a monster on the field changes due to a card effect: Special Summon this card from your hand.]

"Let me show you what a man with two spears can do! I Special Summon Heroic Spirit – Diarmuid Ua Duibhne in Defense Position!"

[Heroic Spirit – Diarmuid Ua Duibhne ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][WIND][Warrior/Effect][ATK 2100/DEF 2000]

Queen Mardel calmly stated,

"Even if you Special Summon a monster from your hand, it doesn't change the fact that the control of the Xyz Monster will still be exchanged."

"No—it won't change, as long as Diarmuid is on the field!"

[Effect:

② While this card is face-up on the field, control of monsters cannot change.

③ If you control another "Heroic Spirit" monster besides this card, this card cannot be destroyed by battle.]

Because Hoshino Alter chained this Special Summon to the activation of Xyz Reversal, Diarmuid would appear on the battlefield first—carving the mark of loyalty that bound him to his master.

Hoshino commented,

["Didn't expect the other me to run a card like this. Doesn't it brick your hand?"] 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Leaving aside the fact that Cu Chulainn has been betraying me lately… the opponent is using Plant monsters, aibo."

Tapping her temple with her finger, Hoshino Alter said proudly,

"I actually use my brain when I duel. That Plant-type card that can control Warriors—Puppet Plant—doesn't it mess with us?"

She glanced at Minazuki and added,

"Besides, a real duelist's deck is fated, isn't it?"

After avoiding the control-swap effect with Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, Hoshino Alter immediately followed up with another effect.

"And when Diarmuid is Special Summoned by his own effect, I can activate this—Destroy all Special Summoned monsters on your opponent's field!"

"Witness it—this is the resolve of my loyalty!"

Diarmuid spun his red and white twin spears rapidly, dragging them across the ground and whipping up a jade-green tornado that swept across the entire field.

"—I see the boundary that divides loyalty and life from death!

Take this! 'Gae Dearg!' 'Gae Buidhe!'"

On Queen Mardel's field, all three Xyz monsters were Special Summoned monsters. The twin-spear tornado surged forward, swallowing them all at once.

"Block him—Kanzashi the Rikka Queen!"

Bursting out from the tornado, Kanzashi swung the crystal parasol-sword in her hand, clashing directly with Diarmuid's Gae Dearg and halting his advance.

[Effect: If a Plant monster you control would be destroyed by a card effect, you can Tribute 1 Plant monster from your hand or field instead.]

Even though Diarmuid's destruction targeted all the Rikka Queens, since the destruction happened simultaneously, Kanzashi only needed to Tribute one Plant monster to negate it.

"I Tribute Rikka Queen Strenna on my field instead of letting the destruction go through. And at the same time, I activate the effect of Teardrop the Rikka Queen—Each time a monster is Tributed, this card gains 200 ATK!"

[Teardrop the Rikka Queen ATK 2800 → 3000]

True to her name, Teardrop looked as though she were shedding delicate tears down her beautiful face, as if mourning the sacrifice of her companion.

Hoshino sighed,

["Look what you protected… that cute little spirit is gone. If it were me, I'd cry too."]

"Aibo, whose side are you even on?"

["Cute equals justice. I stand on the side of justice!"]

Mardel picked up the Xyz card Rikka Queen Strenna, along with Heroic Spirit – Cu Chulainn that had been stacked beneath it as material. A new Xyz light shone once again on her field.

"When Rikka Queen Strenna that has Xyz Material is Tributed, its effect can activate—"

[Effect: ② If this card with Xyz Material is Tributed: Special Summon 1 Rank 5 or higher Plant Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck or Graveyard, then attach this card to it as Xyz Material.]

"The power of the Nine-Realm King isn't so easily surpassed," Mardel said calmly.

"Experience it for yourself."

"The fourth Xyz Summon… Queen Mardel used this duel to fully demonstrate the possibilities of layered Xyz Summoning."

"Special Summon—Number 87: Queen of the Night!"

[Number 87: Queen of the Night ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (Rank 8)][WATER][Plant/Xyz/Effect][ATK 3200/DEF 2800]

The goddess materialized from blooming snow-moon flowers. Not only did she possess attack power surpassing Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but beneath her card was also stacked the adorable Rikka as Xyz Material.

"?"

However, the prefix of the card's name caught Hoshino's attention.

["Wait… could this be the legendary 'if someone as awesome as me exists, there must be 86 more like me' situation?"]

"Troublesome monsters keep appearing one after another…"

The members of the academy felt the pressure mounting. They could no longer find even a hint of comfort in the monsters' elegant and beautiful appearances. All that remained was the suffocating sense of oppression from the endless chain of summons.

"So Zane really defeated the Nine-Realm King all by himself…" Minazuki frowned.

"After experiencing this firsthand, it's hard to even imagine."

Pulling out one of the Xyz Materials beneath Number 87: Queen of the Night, Queen Mardel activated its effect.

"By detaching one Xyz Material from Number 87: Queen of the Night, I can choose one monster on my field and increase its ATK by 300."

[Teardrop the Rikka Queen ATK 3000 → 3300]

The Continuous Spell Proof of the Light King – Purification allowed the Plant monster with the highest ATK on her field to attack multiple times. Yet Mardel did not choose to strengthen the Queen of the Night herself, whose attack power was higher.

Clearly, she had another move prepared.

"Next, I Tribute myself to Special Summon Mudan the Rikka Fairy from my hand."

In a flash of sacrificial light, Queen Mardel sent her own card to the Graveyard and placed the recovered Mudan the Rikka Fairy onto her Duel Disk.

[Mudan the Rikka Fairy DEF 2400]

[Effect: ① You can Tribute 1 Plant monster you control; Special Summon this card from your hand.]

"And because a monster on the field was Tributed, Teardrop the Rikka Queen gains ATK."

[Teardrop the Rikka Queen ATK 3300 → 3500]

Hoshino Alter whistled in admiration.

"Now that's ruthless. She even Tributed herself. I really wish Okita would learn that kind of spirit."

Queen Mardel smiled gently.

"That's because I believe in these children. As their queen, I'll entrust the final outcome of this duel to my adorable subjects."

She looked toward Hoshino.

"I imagine you're the same way, aren't you?"

"Of course!" Hoshino Alter nodded.

"Forget just the outcome of the duel—As a Master, I'm willing to stake everything on the Heroic Spirits I trust!"

Raising his spear forward, Diarmuid spoke firmly.

"And in return for that trust, we will risk our lives to clear away anything standing in our master's path."

"So this is what you call bonds, huh…"

Cu Chulainn Alter muttered.

"Not bad."

"A fine answer," Queen Mardel said.

"I can feel the resolve you've placed into your cards. Then the Light-Realm King will answer you with its strongest power!"

Activating Proof of the Light King, Queen Mardel drew the final card from her hand.

"When Mardel, Generaider Boss of Light leaves the field, the Plant monster I searched with its effect can be Special Summoned!"

"Bloom once more—Erica the Rikka Fairy!"

[Erica the Rikka Fairy ATK 2400]

Alexis's expression darkened.

"If I remember correctly… this card's effect is to Tribute itself and increase a Plant monster's ATK by 1000!"

Misawa calculated instantly.

"Right now Teardrop has 3500 ATK. If Erica is Tributed, that becomes 4500. And with the additional 200 ATK gained whenever a monster is Tributed… it will just barely surpass Cu Chulainn Alter."

"I'm not finished yet!"

Queen Mardel continued.

"The effect of Mudan, which I Special Summoned earlier, activates! When this card is Special Summoned, I can add one 'Rikka' card from my Deck to my hand!"

"I choose the Continuous Spell—Rikka Flurries!"

She immediately placed the searched Continuous Spell into the Duel Disk and moved into the Battle Phase.

"Battle! Teardrop! I Tribute Erica on my field—its ATK increases!"

[Teardrop the Rikka Queen ATK 3500 → 4700]

"Just like Misawa calculated—its ATK surpassed it!"

Syrus said nervously.

"The moment a 'Rikka' monster on my field is Tributed, the effect of Rikka Flurries activates—"

[Effect: ① When a "Rikka" monster you control is Tributed: Your opponent must Tribute 1 monster they control.]

"So I have to Tribute one of my own monsters…"

Under these circumstances, because of Proof of the Light King, if there were four Plant monsters on the field, Teardrop could attack four times in a single turn.

Its destructive power now exceeded even Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Only Cu Chulainn Alter could withstand it.

"…Sorry about this, Diarmuid. I choose to Tribute Heroic Spirit – Diarmuid Ua Duibhne."

"No need to apologize, Master."

Diarmuid smiled calmly.

"This time is different from that incident in Fuyuki. I can feel your determination to win."

Holding his cursed spear Gae Buidhe in reverse, he pointed it toward himself.

"So this time… I, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, foremost Knight of the Fianna, will wager my life to open a path to victory for you."

The spear pierced through his body. Blood scattered into the air as his figure stood proudly in the light before fading away.

[Heroic Spirit – Diarmuid Ua Duibhne]

"Thank you, Diarmuid."

Hoshino Alter gently placed the card into the Graveyard.

"The puzzle pieces for victory… have finally come together."

She raised her gaze toward Queen Mardel.

"Come on—this will be your final Battle Phase, Queen Mardel!"