"Shadow Game? What is that?!"

Zigfried stared in shock at the black mist swirling around him. Having never experienced anything like this before, the calm confidence he had just seconds ago completely vanished.

"Could it be... poison gas?!"

He instinctively covered his mouth and nose—but quickly realized something was off. If it were poison gas, there's no way Hoshino could be standing in the middle of it so calmly.

More importantly, none of the surrounding spectators were reacting to the growing darkness. It was as if the scene unfolding before him was some kind of illusion… one that only Zigfried could perceive.

Hoshino curled her lips into a smug, mischievous grin.

"Zigfried, huh? You really haven't seen the world if this is enough to rattle you."

Just as Hoshino had planned, the Shadow Game she manifested through "brutal training" was perfectly localized between her and Zigfried. From the perspective of the other spectators, nothing abnormal was happening—unless they were holding a Millennium Item.

(***)

Iskandar: "A Reality Marble, huh? That kind of thing is all about presence… You've gotta manifest it with the majesty of a king!"

"That advice is totally useless! Not everyone can be as overbearing as you, Iskandar…"

Besides, Iskandar's Reality Marble didn't even require an incantation. It wasn't exactly something others could learn from.

Nobunaga: "My Demon King of the Sixth Heaven is a massive burning hellscape born from the fear and awe people held for me after I burned Mount Hiei. Though… activating it does make me appear naked~"

"Naked? That's a no-go. Pass. I didn't expect you to be helpful anyway, Nobu."

Emiya: "Unlimited Blade Works. You know how it works, Master—replicates every weapon I've seen and stores them in a personal domain…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Sword world. I can't use Projection Magic, so it's a no from me."

Rama: "Hahaha! You want to use a Reality Marble, Master? You're a million years too early!"

"Rama, you bastard—you just came here to show off! If you're not going to help, don't bother showing up!"

Nero: "Mmm! Aestus Domus Aurea: Invitation to the Golden Debauchery Theater is a bit different from a standard Reality Marble. It doesn't overwrite the world—it manifests my inner scenery into the real world temporarily using magical energy."

"That's it, Nero! Unlike typical Reality Marbles, this sounds more similar in principle to a Shadow Game. If I replace the magical energy with dark energy, I might be able to create a similar field myself!"

That was easier said than done. In reality, it wasn't until the semifinals were nearly over that Hoshino finally managed to fully master deploying the Shadow Game.

Even so, Da Vinci gave it extremely high praise. For someone completely unrelated to the Millennium Items, mastering the Dark Game in just half a day was nothing short of prodigious.

(***)

"I told you—you can't escape!"

Hoshino drew a card and slotted it into her Duel Disk without summoning a single monster, then immediately ended her turn.

"I set two cards face-down. Turn end."

Jonouchi panicked.

"Did Hoshino brick?! She didn't even summon a monster for defense in her first turn! And against someone known for one-turn kills!"

Yugi shook his head solemnly.

"I think Hoshino has something in mind…"

What concerned him most now was why Hoshino had chosen to initiate a Dark Game in this situation.

After all, only Akasha knew the grudge between Hoshino and Zigfried.

"You've got a death wish, Hoshino Chiyuki! My turn—draw!"

Seeing that Hoshino hadn't summoned a single monster, Zigfried drew his card with a smug expression.

"Looks like I overestimated you. Didn't expect this victory to come so easily."

He selected a card from his hand with flair and activated it on his Duel Disk. White feathers began to drift in the air—Zigfried's signature finishing move had begun.

"I activate the Spell Card from my hand — Ride of the Valkyries!"[Ride of the Valkyries – Spell Effect: Special Summon all "Valkyrie" monsters in your hand. All monsters Special Summoned by this effect are returned to your Deck at the end of the turn. Then shuffle your Deck.]

"Soar forth, my glorious Valkyries!"

He slammed four cards onto the Duel Disk's Monster Zones in rapid succession, summoning four Valkyrie monsters all at once thanks to the Spell's effect. They lined up in formation, ready for a full assault.

"I summon in Attack Position — Valkyrie Brunhilde, Valkyrie Erda, Valkyrie Zweite, Valkyrie Viertes!"

[Valkyrie Brunhilde ★★★★★★★ (Level 7)] [LIGHT] [Fairy/Effect] [ATK 1800 / DEF 2000][Valkyrie Erda ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)] [LIGHT] [Fairy/Effect] [ATK 2000 / DEF 2200][Valkyrie Zweite ★★★★★ (Level 5)] [LIGHT] [Fairy/Effect] [ATK 1600 / DEF 1600][Valkyrie Viertes ★★★ (Level 3)] [LIGHT] [Fairy/Effect] [ATK 1400 / DEF 1400]Riding white warhorses across the battlefield, the Valkyries raised their shining silver swords toward Hoshino, whose field remained empty—awaiting Zigfried's next move.

"Now I activate Valkyrie Viertes's special effect!"

[Effect: During your Main Phase: You can excavate the top cards of your Deck equal to the number of other "Valkyrie" monsters you control, and if you do, add 1 excavated Normal Spell/Trap to your hand, also send the remaining cards to the GY. Otherwise, shuffle all excavated cards into the Deck.]

"I control three other Valkyrie monsters besides Viertes, so I reveal the top three cards of my Deck!"

Wearing pristine white gloves, Zigfried flipped the top three cards with dramatic flair, his smug smile widening.

"Seems fortune favors me—among them is the Normal Spell Pot of Greed, which I can now add to my hand!"

Even Zigfried was impressed with his own performance. He had stacked the deck beforehand, of course. There was never any chance of failing to draw the card he wanted.

"Now I activate Pot of Greed to draw two more cards!"

After using a Spell Card to summon four Valkyrie monsters in rapid succession, Zigfried was left with just one card in hand—but now, once again, he had replenished it to three.

"You're done for, Duel King!"

With all conditions met, Zigfried immediately began his Battle Phase.

"You think you can survive this turn with just those two set cards? So naïve. Now taste despair—Quick-Play Spell: Anti-Magic Arrows!"[Anti-Magic Arrows – Quick-Play Spell Effect: At the start of the Battle Phase: For the rest of this turn after this card resolves, neither player can activate Spell/Trap Cards or their effects. Neither player can activate cards or effects in response to this card's activation.]

A rain of luminous arrows fell from the sky, embedding themselves into the two face-down cards at Hoshino's feet—successfully locking out her counterattack options for the turn.

"This is bad!" Jonouchi shouted in panic.

"If Hoshino can't activate her set cards, she might get OTK'd on the first turn!"

"Attack now, Valkyrie Zweite! Bring divine judgment with your holy sword!"

Feeling the vibrations of his Duel Disk, Zigfried was fully convinced the projected strike would soon deliver a painful, physical blow. With this attack, Hoshino would experience what it truly meant to be wounded by Duel Monsters.

"Heroic Spirit – Formal Dress: Mash Kyrielight's effect activates!"

Though Spells and Traps were sealed, Hoshino calmly sent the Mash card from her hand to the Graveyard.

"When you control no monsters, you can send Formal Dress: Mash Kyrielight from your hand to the Graveyard. This turn, whenever your opponent declares an attack, you can draw 1 card. If it's a 'Heroic Spirit' monster, you can Special Summon it—and it takes the hit instead!"

"Leaving your life to luck?" Zigfried sneered.

"Sorry, but only someone chosen by destiny like me is worthy of the Goddess of Fortune."

"Chosen by destiny?" Even Jonouchi wouldn't say something that embarrassing. Where the hell did this guy get that kind of confidence?

"Cut the act! Your cheating's already exposed in this Shadow Game!"

The moment the Shadow Game was initiated, Hoshino had seen through every dirty trick Zigfried had prepared.

This was her unique Reality Marble—a physical manifestation of her inner world. And the law inscribed within:

"Absolute Judgment. Absolute Fairness."

A Shadow Game where all forms of cheating would be punished.

And who determined how "absolute fairness" worked? The field's creator—Hoshino.

"Thanks to Mash's effect, I draw! Monster Card—Heroic Spirit – Spartacus!"

[Valkyrie Erda's effect: While this card is on the field, all your opponent's monsters lose 1000 ATK!]

[Heroic Spirit – Spartacus ★★★ (Level 3)] [FIRE] [Warrior/Effect] [ATK 1500 → 500 / DEF 1500]

"I Special Summon him in Defense Mode! Let's go, Spartacus!"

Hoshino placed the card horizontally on her Duel Disk. The muscular figure of Spartacus materialized, raising his sword just in time to block Valkyrie Zweite's strike.

[Spartacus is destroyed.]

The first attack blocked, Zigfried clicked his tongue.

"Tch. Lucky draw—a wall monster."

"It's not luck—your good fortune's simply run out! Now feel the agony! Spartacus's effect activates!"

[When this card is destroyed by battle: Inflict 500 damage to your opponent, then you gain 500 Life Points.]

"This thrill—returned double!"

A shockwave of pain roared out, sweeping past Zigfried. For a split second, it felt as if his soul was being torn from his body.

[Zigfried LP: 4000 → 3500]

[Hoshino LP: 4000 → 4500]

"What the hell?! Wasn't it supposed to be only one-tenth the impact of real damage?!"

The pain was unbearable, like being trapped in some kind of hell. Cold sweat poured down Zigfried's face.

"No way... There's no way this kind of pain came from just a hologram... What did you do?!"

"The terror of darkness is far beyond what your modified Duel Disk can simulate."

Hoshino shrugged, glancing down with cold amusement at the now visibly shaken Zigfried, still trembling from the Shadow Game's first strike.

"And anyway—physical damage from Duel Monsters? That's old news for us. You think you can beat Kaiba with something like that? You're stuck in the past."

That line struck deep—right at Zigfried's sore spot.

Still clutching his arm, he pressed on with his Battle Phase.

"You dare compare me to Kaiba?! He's the one person I refuse to lose to! Valkyrie Vierte, attack directly!"

[Valkyrie Vierte – ATK 1400]

Unlike the tall and seductive Valkyrie Zweite, Valkyrie Vierte had a smaller, more petite frame. Her holy sword looked more like a decorative blade.

"As you declare an attack—Mash's effect activates again! I draw!"

White feathers scattered as Hoshino drew her next card.

"I draw Monster Card—Heroic Spirit – Valkyrie Ortlinde! Special Summon in Defense Mode!"

Descending from the clouds came a radiant maiden, holding a bronze shield aloft. She intercepted Valkyrie Vierte's blade with flawless timing.

[Heroic Spirit – Valkyrie Ortlinde ★★★★ (Level 4)] [LIGHT] [Fairy/Effect] [ATK 800 → 0 / DEF 1600]Rebecca gasped.

"Valkyrie? That means… Hoshino has Valkyrie monsters too?!"

"Valkyrie Ortlinde has higher DEF than Valkyrie Vierte's ATK—so Zigfried takes 200 damage!"

Unlike Zigfried's Valkyrie that using sword, Hoshino's Valkyrie raised a glowing lance.

"Combat assist—Rune activation—offensive rune—prepare yourself!"

With a mechanical-sounding chant, Ortlinde hurled her spear in a flash of light, striking Zigfried directly.

[Zigfried LP: 3500 → 3300]

"AAAAAHHHH!!"

Zigfried couldn't hold back the scream. The pain tore through his nerves like fire.

"Damn you! How dare you mock me—using the same kind of monster as me! Valkyrie Erda, crush that Valkyrie!!"

[Valkyrie Erda – ATK 2000]

Charging forward atop a white steed, Valkyrie Erda raised her blade and targeted Valkyrie Ortlinde.

"As you declare an attack—Mash's effect activates! I draw! Monster Card—Heroic Spirit – Valkyrie Hildr!"

(*****)

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