"That's too much, Ren! How could a HERO do something so cruel?!"
Ren muttered, "Yeah, that was cruel, Miles… though why does it feel kinda satisfying?"
If it felt satisfying, then that only proved she was one step closer to becoming a true HERO player.
Not only had Dark Law randomly banished one card from Korys's hand, but since Dark Law was on the field, any cards her opponent sent to the Graveyard would also be banished. That meant the Xyz Material, Kagetokage, had also been exiled to another dimension.
Essentially, he was a walking, monster-sized Macro Cosmos.
"Well, that was a blunder." Korys sighed, yet after losing a key Trap to Dark Law's effect, her dazed expression lasted only a moment before her usual bright smile returned.
"Still, I can't blame you, Ren. It's my fault for not knowing enough. Whatever a cute girl does is always right—my life motto!"
…What was wrong with this girl?
Even Dark Law couldn't "unfriend" someone like that.
Did people like her really exist?
Miles murmured under his breath: "Is she… trying to sleep with you?"
"Miles! What kind of lewd thing are you saying?! My orientation's totally normal—super normal!"
"Then let's make up for that mistake in the next fight! Get ready for battle, Ren!"
As Korys declared her Battle Phase, the Exosister's sword shone with the light of justice that eclipsed Dark Law's shadow.
"First, [Exosister Mikailis] activates her effect!"
[If this card is Xyz Summoned using an "Exosister" monster as material (Quick Effect): You can target 1 card your opponent controls or in their Graveyard; banish it.]
"Let the light purge all darkness—banish [Masked HERO Dark Law]!—Radiant Holy Banishment!"
A flash of divine light swept across the field as the transformed Exosister's sword slashed, banishing Dark Law straight to her favorite alternate dimension.
[Masked HERO Dark Law – Banished]
"Those who banish must be ready to be banished themselves!—Masked HERO Dark Law."
"Now for the real battle! Ren, can your body handle the fierce assault of another girl?!"
Miles mumbled, exasperated: "That has nothing to do with being girls. It's just a duel."
"Attack target—[Elemental HERO Solid Soldier]! Go, Mikailis!—Exosister Blade: Holy Severance!"
The light sword cleaved downward in a dazzling arc, shattering Solid Soldier's armor.
"This is what I was waiting for!"
Miles flipped the card he'd been holding—the HERO card that Ren's Shadow Mist had searched earlier during the last turn.
Ren Austin's inheritance from her brother Ilon, born in the capital's battle.
"I discard [Elemental HERO Honest Neos] from my hand to activate its effect!"
[Quick Effect: You can discard this card, then target 1 "HERO" monster you control; that target gains 2500 ATK until the end of this turn.]
Wings of radiant light unfurled behind Solid Soldier, his strength soaring to surpass Mikailis's power.
[Solid Soldier, ATK: 1300 → 3800]
"A 3800 Attack HERO?! Amazing, Ren! Is this the power of HEROes? Incredible!"
Despite her praise, Korys's hands didn't pause for a second.
"Anyway, this time, I won't fall for your trick!—Quick-Play Spell, [Forbidden Scripture], activate!"
[During damage calculation, if a monster battles: Negate all other card effects on the field until the end of the Damage Step, also damage calculation is made with those monsters' original ATK and DEF.]
"A true and fair duel means no outside interference! With Forbidden Scripture's effect, this battle uses original ATK only!"
The glow of the holy tome spread across the field, nullifying boosts. The calculation returned to the base stats—2500 versus 1300. Honest Neos's bonus was stripped away mercilessly.
[Elemental HERO Solid Soldier – Destroyed]
[Ren, LP: 4000 → 2800]
"The maiden of justice takes the first lead, Ren! Feel the passion of girl-on-girl battle!"
As the Battle Phase ended, Korys set two cards in her back row.
"I Set two cards and end my turn. Your turn now, HERO!"
Her face radiated pure joy—it was unclear whether she was enjoying the duel or enjoying Ren.
"Then at the end of your turn, I activate my Set Trap—[Monster Rebirth]!"
[During the turn a monster was destroyed by battle: Send 1 "Monster Reborn" from your hand or Deck to the Graveyard; target 1 monster in either Graveyard; Special Summon it to your field as if by the effect of "Monster Reborn."]
"I send [Monster Reborn] from my Deck to the Graveyard, and revive my HERO from the Graveyard! Spread your radiant wings—[Elemental HERO Honest Neos]!"
[Elemental HERO Honest Neos] Level 7│LIGHT│Warrior│2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
Though previously only used as a hand-trap, this was the first time Honest Neos appeared directly on the field.
With 2500 ATK, his power placed him among the strongest non-Fusion HEROes in Ren's Deck.
"Reviving a high-level monster from the Graveyard? Impressive—but ineffective against my Exosister, Ren."
Pointing to [Exosister Mikailis], Korys explained her effect.
"Mikailis cannot be destroyed by battle with a monster Special Summoned from the Graveyard! So your HERO, even with the same 2500 Attack, can't defeat her!"
She was too honest—most duelists would've kept quiet until the attack failed.
Miles muttered, "She's totally flirting with you."
"Flirting's better than trying to sleep with me—wait, no! Neither's okay!"
"My turn! Draw!"
As the turns switched, Miles, now in control, already knew he wouldn't risk a tie. Reviving Honest Neos wasn't to clash—it was to strike back.
"Spell Card, [Pot of Greed], activate! I draw two more cards from my Deck!"
The iconic green pot shattered as Miles replenished his hand with two new cards.
"Perfect!"
His eyes scanned the new draws—
[Elemental HERO Bladedge]
The strongest non-Fusion HERO in Ren's Deck—exactly what he needed for a breakthrough.
"Battle!"
"Huh?" Korys raised an elegant brow. "Didn't you hear me? Mikailis can't be destroyed by battle with a revived monster."
"I heard you loud and clear. She can't be destroyed—still, that line's always followed by a classic phrase!"
"Classic phrase?"
"'Cannot be destroyed by battle'—but battle damage still applies! Go—Honest Neos!"
With that declaration, Honest Neos spread his pure white wings, glowing in sunlight as HERO power surged through him.
While Honest Neos's hand effect added ATK to other HEROes, when on the field himself, he had a different ability.
[You can discard 1 "HERO" monster; this card's original ATK becomes equal to the combined ATK of this card and the discarded monster until the end of this turn.]
"I discard [Elemental HERO Bladedge] from my hand!"
[Elemental HERO Bladedge, ATK: 2600]
The highest-attack HERO in the Main Deck combined its power with Honest Neos's radiant light. The pure white wings gleamed gold with newfound strength.
[Elemental HERO Honest Neos, ATK: 2500 → 5100]
5100 Attack—the highest a HERO could reach without using Fusion Summons.
Even if her opponent's monster couldn't be destroyed by battle, the 5100-to-2500 gap meant a solid 2600 points of damage would hit hard.
A flicker of panic crossed Korys's refined face.
She knew better than anyone that her Exosisters couldn't withstand that much damage. After all, every Exosister Spell or Trap required a Life Point cost to activate.
If she took that hit head-on, she'd be done for.
"—Quick-Play Spell activate, [Exosister Arment]!"
Changing tactics, Korys quickly flipped the Quick-Play Spell she'd searched last turn.
[Pay 800 LP, then target 1 'Exosister' monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 'Exosister' Xyz Monster with a different name from the cards you control, by using that target as material (this is treated as an Xyz Summon).]
[Korys, LP: 4000 → 3200]
"Arment, awaken the bond between Exosisters! Re-arm transformation—overlay into a new Exosister!"
Much like the HERO's Mask Change, [Exosister Arment] transformed her Exosister into another form.
"I overlay [Exosister Mikailis] to Xyz Summon, in Defense Position—[Exosister Gibrine]!"
[Exosister Gibrine] Rank 4│LIGHT│Warrior/Xyz│1400 ATK / 2800 DEF
With golden hair flowing beneath the moonlit sky, the exorcist girl Gibrine appeared, holding a radiant exorcism rifle. Summoned through Arment, she materialized in Defense Position—enough to avoid taking 2600 points of battle damage in one blow.
Yet, Korys wasn't stopping there.
Honest Neos, now charging in with his golden wings, lunged toward the slender Exosister.
"Then I'll use Gibrine's effect to face your HERO, Ren!"
She extended her arm and declared the new Exosister's ability.
[If this card is Xyz Summoned using an 'Exosister' monster as material (Quick Effect): You can target 1 Effect Monster your opponent controls; until the end of this turn, negate its effects.]
"Fire the Exorcism Ray, Gibrine!—Purification Wave!"
Aim. Charge. Fire!
Her motion was fluid and practiced. The beam of purifying light struck Honest Neos squarely.
[Elemental HERO Honest Neos ATK: 5100 → 2500]
The golden wings dimmed, returning to pure white. His effects nullified, Honest Neos's ATK reverted.
Korys beamed. "That makes Gibrine's Defense higher now, Ren~!"
The Exosister raised a shimmering barrier, her 2800 Defense absorbing the HERO's blow.
[Ren LP: 2800 → 2500]
The 300 recoil damage made even Miles wince slightly.
As allies of justice, Exosisters clearly had a more efficient system than HEROes.
"I Set 1 monster face-down, then Set 3 cards. Turn end!"
When HEROes weren't enough, sometimes all you had left were traps.
Miles set the rest of his hand in one motion, preparing to clash head-on with Korys's Exosisters next turn.
"My turn again, then. Hehe, dueling a pretty girl like you, Ren—it's just so fun. Draw!"
Korys showed no fear toward shadow HEROes; her eyes sparkled with adoration for Ren.
"Girls are wonderful, you know. Pretty girls even more so. When it's just us girls, we can snuggle up close~"
"S-snuggle?"
"Like this!"
Drawing her card, Korys flipped her final Set card.
"—Trap Card activate, [Exosister Vadis]!"
[Pay 800 LP; add 1 'Exosister' monster from your Deck to your hand, then you can Special Summon 1 'Exosister' monster that mentions that monster's name in its text from your Deck. Those monsters return to the Deck during the End Phase. After this card resolves, you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, except 'Exosister' monsters.]
[Korys, LP: 3200 → 2400]
"I choose [Exosister Sophia]! And since her effect mentions [Exosister Irene], I can Special Summon them both!"
[Exosister Sophia] Level 4│LIGHT│Spellcaster│100 ATK / 800 DEF
[Exosister Irene] Level 4│LIGHT│Spellcaster│400 ATK / 800 DEF
The two girls, dressed alike in matching robes, appeared hand in hand.
"When [Exosister Sophia] is on the field with another Exosister, I draw 1 card. And if that Exosister is [Exosister Irene], they can 'snuggle,' triggering an extra effect—I recover 800 LP!"
Sophia gently stroked Irene's cheek, a faint citrus scent filling the air.
[Korys, LP: 2400 → 3200]
"Then [Exosister Irene]'s effect activates! I return 1 'Exosister' card from my hand to the Deck to draw 1 card—and since [Exosister Sophia] is with her, their 'snuggle' restores another 800 LP~!"
Irene hugged Sophia tightly, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. The pure, heartwarming scene turned Ren's face bright red.
[Korys, LP: 3200 → 4000]
"Feeling flustered, Ren~?" Korys teased, smiling brightly as her Life Points returned to full.
Miles said, "Confirmed—she's flustered."
As a proper Fusion Academy Duelist, one had to stay vigilant when facing an Xyz girl who played the yuri card.
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going! [Patreon.com/RedZTL]