"Katsuya Jonouchi wins the match! After defeating Aster Phoenix, Jonouchi has broken the highest point record in the Pro Duel League, becoming the current No.1 duelist in the world!"
In front of the massive screen displaying the duel, Kaiba allowed himself a faint, meaningful smile.
"Hmph. Just a mere amateur… but he did better than I expected."
Lounging on the sofa in Kaiba's office with one leg crossed over the other, Hoshino nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, he's impressive. I never thought the once hopeless rookie Jonouchi would one day become the number one duelist in the entire league."
In Hoshino's memories of the other world, ten years later Jonouchi had never become a professional duelist. Instead, he'd chosen a quiet, peaceful life with Mai Valentine.
But in this world, Mai had vanished completely after the Doma incident. Left alone, Jonouchi had taken the path of a professional duelist—most likely hoping that somewhere, Mai might see him shine.
A peaceful, ordinary life… or the glory of being the No.1 duelist in the world.
Which version of Jonouchi was truly happier? Even Hoshino couldn't say for sure.
"Still, leaving his opponent with exactly 100 Life Points at the end with that Red-Eyes Burn… that guy's ridiculous luck hasn't changed a bit."
Kaiba gave a curt nod. "Hmph, after all, luck is the only weapon of mediocrity… Hm? Hoshino?"
After a few casual remarks, Kaiba finally realized there was someone else in his office—someone who definitely shouldn't have been there.
"When did you get in here? And why didn't you announce yourself first?"
Mokuba, standing beside Hoshino, smiled awkwardly. "Brother, we did knock for a long time before coming in. You just didn't respond."
"Honestly, even after we came in, you still didn't notice us," Hoshino teased, crossing her arms with an amused grin. "Unbelievable. You used to hate Jonouchi so much, and now look at you—watching his matches so intently you didn't even notice someone sneaking into your office."
"Hmph. Just something to kill time, nothing more."
Kaiba tapped the keyboard twice and arrogantly closed the live broadcast window on his monitor.
That was when Hoshino noticed the Duel Disk resting in the corner of Kaiba's desk—covered with a thin layer of dust.
"Kaiba… you haven't had a duel yourself in quite a while, have you?"
"..."
Avoiding Hoshino's gaze, Kaiba turned his chair toward the vast glass wall behind him, overlooking all of Domino City.
"My battlefield no longer lies within a game of cards. There's no meaning in continuing anymore."
Hoshino raised a brow. "You've been acting strange ever since that duel, Kaiba. Don't tell me losing to another version of me hit you that hard?"
Ever since their two-year promised duel ended, Kaiba had almost completely stopped dueling, devoting himself entirely to running KaibaCorp. Thanks to that, the company had grown into the global powerhouse it was today.
But knowing Kaiba, defeat alone wouldn't stop him—he'd always stand back up and challenge again, no matter how many times it took.
That was the Kaiba everyone knew.
If there was a reason for this change, Hoshino could only think of one.
"Kaiba… back then, did Dr. Romani say something to you?"
In that higher-dimensional space, during Hoshino's brief conversation with the Doctor, he had mentioned that Kaiba had created multiple timelines through three cycles of reincarnation. As for the details of that reincarnation, Romani had told Hoshino to ask Kaiba himself.
But in all these years, no matter how much Hoshino pressed him, Kaiba had refused to speak of it—not a word, not a hint.
Kaiba's eyes flickered with a complicated emotion—but with his back turned, Hoshino couldn't see it. By the time he faced her again, he was already wearing his familiar, irritating smirk.
"Heh. Instead of worrying about me, perhaps you should worry about your ever-shrinking body, Hoshino. At this rate, the next time I see you, you'll look like an elementary schooler."
"(〃＞皿＜) Huh?! You bastard! That's harassment! What does my shrinking figure have to do with you!?"
Kaiba didn't press the joke further. Dropping the teasing tone, he got straight to the point.
"So then, I assume you didn't come here just for small talk, did you?"
Hoshino's expression hardened immediately. "You're right. Let's get to it. What exactly is the secret hidden beneath Duel Academy Island? What are the 'Sacred Beasts' and the 'Shadow Rider'?"
Kaiba didn't look surprised—he seemed to have expected the question. He glanced toward Mokuba, who quickly understood.
"I got it. I'll go bring it."
After Mokuba left, Kaiba began to explain.
"Beneath Duel Academy lies a seal—not of cards created by Pegasus, but ones that date back to ancient times. Those are the three cards you mentioned—the 'Sacred Beasts.'"
"Not made by Pegasus, but ancient relics? That's just like the Orichalcos cards then, isn't it?" Hoshino rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "But Duel Academy was only recently established. How could something ancient be sealed beneath it?"
Kaiba continued, "The current Duel Academy was merely built atop the site where those cards were sealed. The one who discovered the island and the legend of the Sacred Beasts was none other than Kagemaru—the current chairman of the Academy, and the man who originally proposed founding it alongside me."
"Well, that's rare. You, of all people, believing in some legend?"
"I only believe in what I see with my own eyes."
Hoshino's eyes widened. "Wait—you mean you've seen the Sacred Beasts yourself? What kind of cards are they?"
Kaiba placed his hand under his chin, his tone grave.
"They are gods—corrupted gods. According to the island's legend, when the cards of the three Sacred Beasts reemerge into the world, chaos will engulf heaven and earth. Darkness will awaken, leading the world to destruction. And to awaken them… one would need the life force of all Duel Monsters across the planet."
Listening to Kaiba's grim explanation, even Hoshino couldn't help but swallow nervously.
"World-ending monsters… That terrifying? Could this be the 'unknown threat' the Doctor was talking about?"
Kaiba smirked at Hoshino's serious expression. "Heh. Relax. It's just a legend, after all. Stories like that always get exaggerated the more they're told. The credibility's close to zero."
凸(艹皿艹) "Seriously?! You were acting all serious just now—you got me worked up for nothing!"
"Still, even if it's only a legend, there are people who believe in it. Some even worship it. The ones you mentioned—the Shadow Riders—are those who seek to break the seal of the Sacred Beasts."
"Shadow Riders…" Hoshino's fists clenched as she recalled Alexis's ordeal. Rage burned inside her.
Kaiba noticed. "Judging by your tone, something happened at the Academy, didn't it?"
After recounting Alexis's experience to Kaiba, Hoshino continued, "Since the Shadow Riders' goal is to unseal the Sacred Beasts, tell me—how do I find one of them? The vampire duelist, Camula."
"Calm down first. Wait for Mokuba to return."
And as if on cue, Mokuba came back, carrying a black case, which he gently placed on Kaiba's desk.
"I brought it."
Hoshino leaned forward curiously, but from the outside, the box looked completely ordinary.
"If they wish to unseal the Sacred Beasts, they'll need this," Kaiba said, slowly opening the black box.
Inside were seven keys—each uniquely shaped—arranged perfectly to fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
"When I discovered the Sacred Beasts beneath the Academy's ruins, I reinforced the original ancient seal with an additional one of my own—'The Seven Gates.' To unlock it, one needs these seven keys."
"So you did see the Sacred Beasts after all," Hoshino remarked, confirming her suspicion. There was no way a man like Kaiba would take a myth seriously otherwise.
"But instead of keeping them for yourself, you strengthened the seal instead… You really have changed, Kaiba."
The old Kaiba—who once sought to master every powerful card—would never have let such legendary monsters slip through his fingers.
"I told you—my battlefield no longer lies within cards. Besides, after wielding the true God Cards, I've no interest in using their corrupted counterparts."
Taking the seven keys from Kaiba's desk, Hoshino analyzed, "So if they realize you've reinforced the seal, they'll come looking for the keys to the Seven Gates."
"Exactly. Which means if you hold the keys, they'll come to you on their own."
Pocketing the keys with a smirk, Hoshino nodded. "Perfect. That saves me a lot of trouble. Instead of hunting them down one by one, I'll just wait for them to come to me."
Watching her stash all seven keys into her coat, Kaiba sighed in exasperation.
"My original plan was to have you distribute the keys among seven of the Academy's strongest duelists, each to face a different member of the Shadow Riders."
Hoshino grinned. "Nah, that's too much work. Seven keys—one me. I'll take them all on myself. Besides, as the Headmistress, even if it's under the pretense of 'training,' I don't want my students getting involved in any Shadow Game."
"Still trying to shoulder all the hard stuff alone… you really haven't changed a bit. That's just like the Hoshino I remember."
As Hoshino's biggest fan, Mokuba was still the same starry-eyed fanboy he'd always been, even after all these years.
Putting away the Seven Key, Hoshino seemed satisfied—this trip hadn't been for nothing after all.
"Well then, I should head back to the Academy soon and deal with them."
"What? You're leaving already?" Mokuba said, clearly reluctant. "You've only been here a short while! It's been so long since you last came—stay a bit longer!"
"Alright, next time, I promise~ Honestly though, I'm a little worried about Alexis…"
Even if Vlad had said that vampire familiars were fundamentally different from true vampires, no one could say for sure whether maintaining that state for too long was truly harmless.
After all, a familiar's inhuman strength largely came from forcibly removing the brain's natural limiters—making the body operate beyond its physical tolerance.
"In that case, let me have a private jet take you back to Academy Island, Hoshino."
Crossing the sea by plane would be far faster than by ship, and since KaibaCorp had the means, there was no reason for Hoshino to waste time like she had that morning.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Mokuba."
"Hehe, not a problem at all~"
Grinning, Mokuba pushed open the office doors and stepped out first to arrange for a company jet.
"Oh, right—Kaiba." Before leaving, Hoshino suddenly remembered something. "You say your battles no longer belong on the Duel Field… but that deck sitting there looks spotless, as if it's never been touched~"
Knowing how deep Kaiba's obsession with dueling used to run, there was no way Hoshino would believe he'd simply given it up.
If anything, Kaiba now seemed like one of those adults crushed under the weight of life's burdens—unable to play like they once did, left only to watch game streams every night.
"I don't know what's holding you back from dueling again, Kaiba. But remember this—no matter what you're facing, I'll always be on your side."
Sitting back in his chair, Kaiba smirked. "Hmph, bold words from someone who's on my payroll. Worry about your own Academy first, snow-haired brat."
"(○`3′○) Hmph! You're impossible! I'm leaving!"
With a loud slam of the door, Hoshino stormed off without looking back.
Kaiba glanced at the deck beside his hand, his expression no longer calm. His fist tightened in frustration, nails digging into his palm.
"'Dueling,' huh? Hoshino… if I could, I'd fight alongside you until the very end too. But with this limited human body… it's impossible to reach that distant battlefield…"
(***)
Academy Island, Hoshino Residence—
"Mash, how's Alexis doing?"
Having rushed back on a private jet, Hoshino ran straight to her room.
"Senpai, Miss Alexis's condition… isn't good."
Mash's worried tone filled the room. "Mr. Vlad said the magical energy implanted in a vampire familiar constantly absorbs the host's blood to create energy. If she can't replenish her blood supply in time…"
Tied to a chair, Alexis had struggled through the night and was now utterly exhausted.
Her once-bright blue eyes had gone dull and unfocused, her face pale and bloodless—nothing like the lively, charming Obelisk Blue she used to be.
"S-Senpai… it hurts… please… let me go…"
From her earlier frenzy to her current pitiful pleading—it was hard to tell whether Alexis was speaking of her own will or still under the vampire's lingering control.
Even a layman like Hoshino could tell how dangerous her condition was. If this went on, Alexis might collapse long before they even reached Camula.
Grabbing a fruit knife from the table, Hoshino aimed it at her own arm.
"Senpai, what are you doing?!" Mash gasped.
"She just needs blood, right? As long as she doesn't bite me, it should be fine."
The knife flashed down, and Hoshino winced as a deep cut opened along her arm. Scarlet blood welled up and slid down her pale skin.
"A-Ah… Senpai… Senpai's blood…"
As if entranced by the scent of something irresistible, Alexis lifted her head, lips parting in anticipation as the crimson drops fell.
The blood dripped precisely into Alexis's mouth. Her expression shifted from agony to bliss as she drank greedily, her pale face slowly regaining color.
Watching her gently, Hoshino couldn't help but feel like she was feeding a beloved pet. "You must be hungry, right? Go on, eat up, good girl~"
"Senpai!" Mash cried out, alarmed. "Even you can't lose too much blood—please, you have to stop!"
Rummaging under Hoshino's bed, Mash pulled out a medical kit and quickly took her arm, disinfecting and wrapping the wound.
"==Mash… how can you just pull something like that out from under my bed so naturally?"
First it was the rope they used to restrain Alexis, now it was a full medical kit.
"Seriously, how much stuff have you been stashing under there?! It's just an innocent bed—can we please let it be a bed again?!"
"Se–Senpai?"
Alexis, licking the last traces of blood from her lips, blinked as her eyes cleared. "Senpai, what… happened to me?"
"Alexis, you're back!" Hoshino exclaimed in relief.
She hadn't expected her own blood to actually work—but though it couldn't completely dispel the pureblood vampire's magic, it was enough to bring Asuka back to her senses for now.
"Senpai, you're hurt?"
Instead of worrying about herself, Alexis's gaze went straight to the bandage around Hoshino's arm.
Hoshino gave a pained smile. "Actually, it's like this—"
"—Mash, I finished what Vlad asked me to make."
Walking in with a tray, Emiya interrupted her mid-sentence.
"Oh, Master, you're back too? Sorry, I didn't make any for you—this is for Alexis."
"Smells good. What did you make, Emiya?" Hoshino sniffed the air curiously.
"Vlad's orders. A dish to help maintain the familiar's energy balance—duck blood vermicelli soup."
"!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ Wha—so animal blood works too?!"