Chapter 17: I'm Also a Hero Player
For Amano, this was already eighteen years in the past.
Memories from anime he'd watched in his previous life had long since faded with time's passage.
But even so, such a classic play—Amano would remember it even if he turned to ash.
Five-for-one. Using five cards from your hand to bring out a single Tribute Summon.
Amano clearly remembered it was Yu-Gi-Oh! GX protagonist Jaden Yuki's signature move—the play used to Tribute Summon Elemental HERO Neos.
And now a bounty hunter had perfectly recreated it.
So you've got a Hero's soul too, Lutz!
"Turn end."
Amid thunderous cheering from the crowd, Lutz smugly concluded his turn.
Good thing this world's rules allowed first turn drawing—otherwise this guy wouldn't even have a single card left in hand!
"My turn, draw."
Turn passing, Amano's Duel Disk lit up as he drew a card.
So the question became:
The opponent pulled the famous five-for-one combo. What was Amano's play?
Well... the big guy Lutz summoned with that five-for-one? Amano genuinely couldn't deal with it.
After all, that thing had 2600 'over-statted' ATK points.
For duelists living at the Tower's bottom levels, this was already an insurmountable wall.
So what Amano could do on his turn was simple.
"Set one monster in face-down Defense Position, set one card. Turn end."
Quick in, quick out. Turn over.
Amano's own turn was just that time-efficient.
Compared to first-turn Lutz's 'spectacular' plays, the crowd below erupted in boos.
Meanwhile, in the top-floor VIP box with the best view, Karl stood elegantly before massive transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, wine glass in hand, watching the arena scene unfold.
On the VIP box's sofa sat another person—the 'distinguished guest' the Wein family's second young master had specifically come to entertain tonight.
Kaiba Corporation Vice President—Kaiba Chiha.
"The almighty Kaiba Corporation's second-in-command specially travels to the bottom districts just to watch this low-level duel? How degrading, Chiha."
"Stop asking so many useless questions, Karl. You know I came because of the rumors."
Kaiba Chiha—younger sister of Kaiba Corporation President Kaiba Chiaki.
Unlike the Eva Encyclopedia's image of alternate-universe genderswapped Seto Kaiba—the domineering CEO in a silver trench coat—
Black medium-length hair gave Chiha a more girlish style, closer to a standard student.
She hadn't even removed the iconic black uniform of the Duel Academy, despite attending an underground duel.
Black uniforms within Eden Tower's mid-level Academy City represented the prestigious Xyz Academy—exclusive to the advanced division.
Though lacking her sister Kaiba Chiaki's stunning domineering CEO aura, with a much more petite and flat figure—
Kaiba Chiha's appearance nonetheless inherited the Kaiba family's excellent genes. Exquisite and cute.
This caused Karl, fellow wealthy heir, to develop slight feelings for Kaiba Chiha upon first meeting at the academy.
However...
"Supposedly a Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared in the bottom districts today. That's the card my dear sister has been pursuing—naturally I had to make the trip."
"'Dear sister' again." Karl's expression turned subtle, eye twitching. "Chiha, you're such a hardcore sis-con."
After getting to know her, Karl discovered a cruel reality.
Kaiba Chiha had zero interest in him—or any other men, for that matter. Pure 120% super sis-con.
"My dear sister's business is my business!" Chiha patted her flat chest. "Karl, you have a sister too. Can't you understand this passionate feeling?"
Though after abandoning romantic prospects, Chiha and Karl got along well enough in certain aspects—their friendship was comfortable.
But regarding sisters, they held completely opposing views.
"If my older sister had even half your sister's sex appeal and beauty, maybe I wouldn't hate her so much."
Kaiba Chiha glanced at Karl. "Appearance is my dear sister's least noteworthy advantage."
Kaiba Chiha personally came to Eden Tower's bottom levels because of the rumor that appeared in District 31 at noon today—someone had drawn a Blue-Eyes White Dragon card.
Even if just gossip, this was the first concrete intel after Kaiba Chiaki had desperately pursued the fourth Blue-Eyes White Dragon for so long.
"Dear sister is still exploring ancient duel ruins outside the Tower. Won't return until next month. If I could give her the fourth Blue-Eyes White Dragon as a homecoming gift, she'd definitely be super happy!"
Imagining Kaiba Chiaki patting her head while praising her, Chiha couldn't help trembling with excitement, fair legs kicking randomly on the luxury sofa.
She casually pulled up a virtual screen displaying information about Amano Rei.
"Amano Rei—duelist from District 32, happens to be the closest area to District 31... pure coincidence?"
"Chiha, I already told you. That guy beat one of the Wein family duelists yesterday, but his deck only contains trash monsters. The legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon couldn't possibly be in his hands."
Precisely because he'd investigated his sister's hired duelist beforehand, Karl had playfully bet 100,000 Eva Points on Amano losing within six rounds.
And on turn one, Lutz had already summoned one of his ace monsters—Sanga of the Thunder.
With only trash monsters, expecting Amano to last a full six rounds against bounty hunter Lutz was pure fantasy.
"My turn, draw!"
Having opened with five-for-one, Lutz drew his third-turn card, bringing his hand back to two cards.
"Battle! Sanga of the Thunder attacks the Defense Position monster! Accept judgment thunder upon the weak!"
Lightning bombardment instantly shattered Amano's face-down monster card into ash.
The specially-made steel cage could block and limit monster physical impacts after safety restrictions were removed, preventing harm to spectating audiences.
But it couldn't stop that mysterious fragrant aroma from spreading throughout the venue.
[Yuyu] destroyed
"(Drooling) Smells so good."
The previously aggressive Sharia Corporation members simultaneously exclaimed.
Nobody could resist the aromatic grilled tofu—even when roasted by lightning.
"By the way, that monster was a spirit, right?"
Destroying one insignificant monster caused Yubel—hidden within Kikawayu's soul—to speak up.
"That's right." Kikawayu nodded proudly. "Rei's been popular with spirits since childhood. Even these unknown weak spirits get attracted to him."
"Hahaha, as expected—trash monsters befitting a District 32 pauper!"
The VIP box couldn't smell the grilled tofu, but this scene genuinely amused Karl.
"Within Eden, the strength of one's monsters proves one's social status most powerfully."
Speaking these words, Karl's gaze fell not on Amano but on his sister Finesse in the stands below.
"Low-status weaklings don't deserve victory."
After destroying Amano's monster, Lutz did exactly what Amano had done last turn—quick in, quick out.
"Set one monster in face-down Defense Position, set one card. Turn end!"
The difference? Lutz had a super big brother holding the field. Amano could only stall with trash.
"My turn, draw!"
Beginning his second turn, Amano scanned his hand again, brow gradually furrowing.
Even with supernatural luck, sometimes you got bricked.
Rather, today he'd probably already used up all his luck drawing Blue-Eyes White Dragon in those initial ten cards.
"Need to change tactics."
Amano silently contemplated.
Pure defense would only let Lutz's field grow larger.
Time to change strategy.
"I Normal Summon a monster in Attack Position!"
Slamming the card onto his Duel Disk, Amano struck a cool one-handed forward summoning pose.
This was probably Amano's first time actively summoning a Duel Monster in Attack Position.
Where his palm pointed, pillars of flame erupted with crimson special effects. A sensual figure bathed in fire descended before Amano.
"Elemental HERO Burstinatrix!"
[Elemental HERO Burstinatrix] [Level 3 FIRE]
[Warrior] [ATK: 1200] [DEF: 800]
A Hero arrived. For Amano's first offensive summon, he decisively chose a Hero—once his eternal white moonlight.
Though even among Heroes, Burstinatrix wasn't particularly strong. Especially as just a vanilla Normal Monster.
Yet Amano's summon caused two people present to simultaneously show shocked expressions.
The Wein siblings.
"A commoner from the slums has the right to use Heroes?!"
Uncontrollable rage caused Karl to crush the wine glass in his hand. Some red liquid—unclear what—dripped mixed with blood from his palm.
"Karl, you're too agitated!" Kaiba Chiha couldn't help reminding him.
"Though your sister awakened Heroes before you did, maybe this card was just borrowed from your sister. After all, Eden's history has never recorded any Hero user besides the Wein family."
"You're right. I lost my composure, Chiha."
Regaining calm, Karl pulled out a clean handkerchief to wipe his palm.
Indeed, he'd been too impulsive.
His bastard sister awakening Hero bloodline before him was already difficult enough to accept.
If now some outsider could also summon Heroes and word got out—Karl's face would be slapped resoundingly.
"To humiliate me, you'd even do something like this, Finesse?!"
Did Amano's Hero come from Finesse lending it to him?
Quite the opposite. Finesse's silver-gray eyes reflected the Hero's flaming figure on field, equally shocked—she'd even forgotten to blink.
"Amano, you can also use Heroes?"
A system notification suddenly chimed.
[Finesse Affection +2]
[Finesse Affection: 59]
This earned affection points?
Made sense!
Amano figured his monster summoning pose just now was explosion-level cool.