Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!

"Are you talking about me?" Hoshino asked, stunned.

Musashi puffed up proudly. "That's right, it's me!"

What are you doing stealing the spotlight? Can you focus on fighting the beast?

Hoshino–Sensei quickly took charge. "Akasha, take the students and evacuate immediately. Absolutely no one is allowed to join the battle." She grabbed Hoshino's wrist and pulled her toward the door.

Unlike Musashi, normal people couldn't just leap out of windows, especially from the second floor.

Hoshino sighed inwardly. Why do I keep getting dragged around by everyone? But there was something oddly comforting about being led by her future self. Their footsteps naturally fell in sync as they ran.

"Whoa?! It really is Hoshino-sensei—and there are two of her!"

The hallway was crowded with students who had come out of their rooms, startled by the commotion. After all, who could sleep through an attack like this?

"I didn't think we'd be attacked during the day! What should we do?"

"Is there really no hope for us?"

Panic, anxiety, and fear spread rapidly among the students, threatening to spiral into chaos.

"Everyone, calm down!" Hoshino–Sensei shouted, positioning herself at the front of the dormitory doors. "Are you really proud Obelisk Blue students if you panic at a scene this small?"

To call a massive beast wave that blotted out the sky a "small scene" with a straight face—Hoshino couldn't help but admire her future self's composure.

Wait, does this count as charisma? If it does, even an E-rank would be nice.

"The boys' dormitory is being handled by Professor Crowler. No one is allowed to step outside this dormitory today!"

Hoshino–Sensei's stern tone carried the weight of command. She knew the outside world was a brutal battlefield. Anyone without unshakable resolve would meet their end the moment they stepped out.

"But… there are so many strong monsters outside...What if you lose?"

Their worry was valid. This beast wave far surpassed previous attacks in both size and intensity.

"Nah, I'd win." Hoshino–Sensei smiled confidently, tightening her grip on Hoshino's hand.

"Now, this is my war to fight!"

(***)

Elsewhere on the battlefield—

"Go, Red-Eyes Black Dragon—Fire Blast!"

"Fortress Whale—Harpoon Cannon!"

The sudden eruption of battle engulfed Duel Academy in chaos. The professional duelists, still recovering from the previous night's fight, were caught off guard. Only a few, including Jonouchi and Ryota, managed to retaliate immediately.

"So this is the beast wave? It's on a completely different scale from before." Jonouchi wiped the sweat from his brow as the sheer number of monsters pressed down on them like a tidal wave.

"In theory, Duel Monsters can be summoned infinitely, but humans have limited stamina." Ryota, already analyzing the situation, realized their greatest disadvantage. In such a relentless battle, even the smallest mistake could mean death.

A flash of black light streaked across the battlefield. One moment, Jonouchi's Red-Eyes Black Dragon was holding its ground; the next, it was pierced and destroyed.

"Damn it!" Jonouchi gritted his teeth, his hand already reaching for his next card. "What kind of dragon is that? I've never seen it before!"

Ryota stared at the enemy, his eyes wide. Beneath the dark wings of the dragon, faint black stars fell like glittering dust.

[Malefic Stardust Dragon ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][DARK][Dragon/Effect][ATK 2500/DEF 2000]

"Who cares what kind of dragon it is—come on out, [Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon]!" Jonouchi shouted, summoning his next monster.

[Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)][DARK][Dragon/Effect][ATK 2800/DEF 2400]

The armored black dragon unleashed a torrent of dark flames, its might enough to tear through the heavens.

But war is rarely fair. Countless lesser monsters swarmed toward the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon like moths drawn to a flame.

Despite its strength, even the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon couldn't withstand the relentless assault. Its scales began to crack, and it faltered under the weight of the onslaught.

"Damn it! There are too many of them—if each one spit once, we'd drown!" Jonouchi cursed as his monster crumbled.

"Jonouchi! Now's not the time to complain! Summon another monster!" Ryota shouted, summoning a new beast of his own. But no matter how quickly they fought, the swarm pressed closer.

The duelists, unable to regroup or strategize, were left summoning monsters one by one—only for them to be destroyed almost instantly.

(***)

At a distant vantage point—

"The plan is progressing smoothly, Lord Paradox," said Byakuya, the masked duelist previously defeated by Jonouchi and Hoshino. He stood overlooking the battlefield, flames and chaos stretching as far as the eye could see.

Paradox, his face obscured by an ominous black-and-white mask, chuckled darkly. "Not only is Hoshino Chiyuki here, but Jonouchi Katsuya has joined the fray as well. This is the perfect opportunity to eliminate them all in one stroke."

Hearing Jonouchi's name, Byakuya tensed, the sting of his earlier failure still fresh.

Paradox, sensing his subordinate's unease, waved a hand dismissively. "There's no need to worry. The result will be the same. The storm of destruction brought forth by the restless souls of the Malefic monsters will ensure the realization of our wish—to reshape this world."

(***)

"If this keeps up, we're done for," Jonouchi muttered, frustration etched into his voice as he stared at the relentless wave of monsters.

The mournful cry of his Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon signaled its defeat, the mighty beast succumbing to the relentless swarm tearing through its defenses.

"Mamma mia! My Ancient Gear Golem got smashed to bits!" Professor Crowler's shrill voice echoed from the boys' dormitory, his despair ringing clear.

Jonouchi clenched his fists. "This is hopeless. I came here to help, but instead, I'm stuck watching the academy crumble!" Even as he voiced his frustration, his hands never stopped drawing cards, searching for a way out.

"Jonouchi, fall back and regroup!"

A clear voice rang out across the battlefield, cutting through the chaos like a beacon of light.

"Listen up, duelists! Don't lose your rhythm! I'll buy you time to recover—bring out your strongest monsters and turn this around!"

"That voice…" Jonouchi's eyes darted toward the sky, where a white pegasus streaked through the air like a shooting star.

"Illya, clear the way!"

"Yes, Master!" Illya, now transformed with the Class Card Rider—Medusa, gripped the reins of her pegasus tightly.

"Noble Phantasm Deployment—Bellerophon!"

A brilliant light tore through the monster horde, momentarily halting their advance as if the creatures themselves feared the radiant power.

"It is Illya! Then the voice just now—it was Hoshino!" Jonouchi exclaimed, his spirits lifting at the realization.

The fleeting moment of respite allowed him to summon new monsters and stabilize his deck. Each second bought by Illya's charge was a precious gift.

"It's not enough—they're regrouping!" Ryota shouted, panic edging his voice as the monsters began surging forward once more.

"It's fine!" called a second voice. Standing side by side, two identical Hoshinos surveyed the battlefield.

"The path is clear. Your turn, Hoshino!" Hoshino–Sensei declared.

Jonouchi blinked in disbelief. "Wait—two Hoshinos?! Am I losing it?"

Hoshino ignored the confusion and activated her duel disk with renewed determination. "Leave it to me, Sensei!"

She slammed a card onto her duel disk, and a brilliant light erupted from her field.

"Arash, fire your Noble Phantasm!"

"Stella!!"

A radiant meteor tore through the swarm, splitting it in two. The force of the explosion lit up the battlefield, bathing the academy in golden light.

"Yosh! Counterattack time—let's show them what duelists are made of!" Jonouchi roared, rallying the professional duelists. Summoning five powerful Red-Eyes Dragons, he unleashed a fiery barrage, burning a path through the horde.

"The power of Arash is as incredible as ever…" Hoshino murmured, staring at the glowing card in her hand. The sheer destructive force felt like it could turn the tide of the war.

"Let's fire another shot! Reload Arash's—I'll shoot you for a brighter future!"

"H-Hold on!" Illya interjected, horrified. "Master, even ten years ago, you were this ruthless?! Forcing Arash-san to fire again after that?!"

Hoshino–Sensei stepped in, clearing her throat. "Ahem, Chiyuki-chan, you can't use Heroic Spirit cards like Duel Monsters. Duel Monsters are native to this world, but Heroic Spirits channel their power through the cards."

Hoshino nodded, recalling Da Vinci explaining something similar.

"While using Arash's Noble Phantasm is exciting, it's not something that can be used repeatedly," Hoshino–Sensei continued. "He's likely exhausted after just one use."

"I see. If his body's all worn out, there's no way he can… fire again," Hoshino admitted reluctantly.

Illya's cheeks flushed as she spluttered, "Master! The way you two talk about Heroic Spirits sounds so inappropriate!"

Hoshino–Sensei chuckled. "It's fine. There are plenty of Heroic Spirits ready to fight. Paradox likely didn't anticipate that even in a distorted history, the Heroic Spirits of Chaldea would still stand with us."

With her Heroic Spirit cards unusable, Hoshino handed out the remaining five cards to the duelists around her. Normally, others couldn't wield the power of her cards, but this was no ordinary situation.

"This time, it's in your hands," Hoshino said, handing a card to her future self.

Hoshino–Sensei examined the cards she'd received.

[Darius III]

[Leonidas I]

[Eric Bloodaxe]

[Edward Teach]

[Saint George]

"…Chiyuki-chan, are you an F2P player?" Hoshino–Sensei asked, her expression twitching.

"What's wrong with these cards?" Hoshino replied, feeling a bit defensive.

"Not a single silver or gold card? Where's Nobunaga? Where's Okita?"

"It's not my fault!" Hoshino protested. "I spent 300 Saint Quartz on this banner, and this is all I got!"

Hoshino–Sensei sighed, patting her younger self on the shoulder. "Even in a different timeline, I had such terrible luck. But Da Vinci must've foreseen this situation. She truly is a genius."

"What makes you say that?" Hoshino asked, puzzled.

Hoshino–Sensei smirked and pulled out her own duel disk. "Let me show you the fruits of my Academy saving. Open your system!"

The familiar interface appeared, but to Hoshino's shock, her system activated simultaneously, overlapping with her future self's.

[Limited-Time Banner: Bonds Beyond Time—All of your Heroic Spirits are featured. Fight for your future and claim it!]

[Remaining Saint Quartz: 23,950 pieces]

(*****)

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