Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!

"Because Spartacus was destroyed, I activate its effect! I recover 500 life points and deal 500 damage to you!"

[Hoshino LP: 500 → 1000]

[Paradox LP: 4000 → 3500]

Paradox scoffed. "Heh, what a futile struggle. This duel is utterly meaningless. Malefic Rainbow Dragon, deliver the finishing blow!"

The Malefic Rainbow Dragon's dark, prismatic glow pulsed with lethal intent as it locked eyes on Hoshino, its energy surging into a destructive blast.

"—Malefic Prismatic Stream!"

The Evil God beneath Hoshino's feet, despite its intimidating form, sounded more exasperated than worried. "Girl, if you get one-turn-killed here, I swear I'll laugh at you for the rest of my existence!"

Hoshino narrowed her eyes. "Me? One-turn-killed? Yeah, right! I activate my set Quick-Play Spell—[Heroic Spirit—Emergency Summoning]!"

[Heroic Spirit—Emergency Summoning Quick-Play Spell Effect: Activate when you control no [Heroic Spirit] monsters. Special Summon one Level 4 or lower [Heroic Spirit] monster from your Deck in Defense Position. This turn, you cannot Special Summon monsters that aren't [Heroic Spirit].]

Paradox sneered. "It's pointless, Hoshino. Even if you summon a monster in response, the effect of Mound of the Bound Creator will still inflict 1000 damage. Checkmate!"

Hoshino smirked. "There's no such thing as checkmate on turn one. Watch closely—Special Summon! [Heroic Spirit – Leonidas I]!"

[Heroic Spirit – Leonidas I★★★ (Level 3)][EARTH][Warrior/Effect][ATK 1400/ DEF 1900]

With a defiant battle cry, the Spartan warrior materialized, slamming his shield into the ground as he braced for impact. Malefic Rainbow Dragon's attack crashed against him, but he remained unshaken.

"Leonidas I's effect: This card cannot be destroyed by battle with monsters that have 2500 or more ATK!"

The overwhelming power of Paradox's 4000-ATK monsters proved to be their own downfall, as they lacked the finesse to bypass the Spartan's impenetrable defense.

The Evil God sighed in relief. "Phew, that was close."

To emphasize its exasperation, it wiped imaginary sweat off its bird-like head with a claw—an oddly comical sight given its fearsome form.

Paradox clicked his tongue. "Tch. Your stalling tactics are as irritating as ever. My monsters might not be able to destroy him now, but next turn, Malefic Cyber End Dragon will deal piercing damage and wipe you out just as easily."

Though Leonidas's presence disrupted Paradox's OTK attempt, he remained unfazed. "A worthless card is still worthless. I set two cards and end my turn."

[Paradox's Field: 1 Hand Card | 2 Set Cards]

The Evil God nudged Hoshino. "Alright, girl, you've got a plan, right? No way you're letting him run the show the whole time."

Hoshino hesitated. "Honestly? It's not looking great."

Summoning two 4000-ATK monsters alongside Mound of the Bound Creator on the first turn? This was worse than dealing with Kaiba's No-Deck-Shuffling Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

Paradox's smirk widened. "Finally realizing the gap between us? Too bad. I have no intention of letting you walk away from this."

Then—

"Hahaha~"

A soft, melodic laugh echoed from deep within the temporal rift.

No—it wasn't distant. Not in the way sound should be. In a place where time was expressed as space, 'distance' had no meaning.

Paradox's grip on his Duel Disk trembled. His entire body stiffened. "That voice... Impossible!!"

The laugh carried an eerie distortion, as if interference crackled through its soundwaves.

The Evil God suddenly turned back toward the source. Then, without warning, it shifted from its divine form into its human appearance, an unreadable smirk tugging at its lips.

"Well, well… This is unexpected."

Hoshino barely had time to register what had happened before the Winged Dragon beneath her vanished. With nothing beneath her feet, she plummeted—but instead of falling, her body simply drifted within the temporal currents, caught in the pale-blue barriers that composed the rift.

"Paradox-kun~ You're as ruthless as ever. Right, Chiyuki-chan?"

The voice was familiar to Paradox, yet completely foreign to Hoshino.

The Evil God, now in human form, turned toward the approaching presence—an ethereal figure, glowing softly as she moved against the flow of time. Given her arrival point, she had to be from the future.

Hoshino furrowed her brows. "You… know me?"

The figure giggled. "Hehe~ You could say I do… or you could say I don't~"

As she stepped into clearer view, the dim glow of the time rift revealed a girl dressed in a pristine white uniform, her silver hair flowing like strands of moonlight.

Hoshino's breath hitched. She had never seen this girl before.

"So? Do you know me or not?" she asked, more confused than ever.

Paradox, however, looked like he had seen a ghost. His expression contorted into something between rage and fear. "No… No, no, NO! This is impossible! I erased you! I ERASED YOU COMPLETELY!"

His voice cracked as he ranted, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance.

"Hoshino Chiyuki! I defeated you! I wiped you from existence! How—HOW are you standing here?!"

Hoshino's eyes darted between the panicked Paradox and the serene white-haired girl. "Huh? Wait… Hoshino Chiyuki? You're saying… you're me?"

The girl laughed softly. "That's why I said I might know you, or I might not~ We know each other so well, yet this is our first meeting, isn't it? Another me~"

Hoshino's jaw nearly dropped. "Hold on, you're saying you're me from another future?"

Her focus, however, quickly shifted to something far more pressing.

"Wait, wait, wait—why do you look younger than me? Did I age backwards?!"

The white-haired girl giggled. "Now's not the time to worry about that! Isn't eternal youth every girl's dream?"

Hoshino groaned. "That's… not the point!"

But before she could question further, the white-haired girl gently reached out, her fingertips brushing against the deck in Hoshino's Duel Disk.

Then, she turned her gaze to Paradox.

"Paradox-kun~ I deliberately lost to you back then, betting everything on this moment. To change our destroyed future, I entrusted all my hopes to the correct timeline."

Paradox grit his teeth. "The correct timeline…?"

The moment the white-haired girl's fingers touched Hoshino's deck, a brilliant light erupted from within it, illuminating the time rift in radiant splendor.

Hoshino's heart pounded. In that instant, she felt herself transcend time itself—her very being resonating with something beyond centuries.

The white-haired girl withdrew her hand, her expression turning solemn.

"I entrust all my power to you, Chiyuki-chan." She met Hoshino's gaze, eyes gleaming with unshakable resolve.

"Now—crush this fool blinded by his own delusions!"

"Giving your power to me?"

From the radiant deck, Hoshino felt an immense weight—an unwavering resolve forged over centuries of battle to save the world.

Paradox, having regained his composure, pieced things together. "Two individuals from different timelines can't coexist in the Temporal Shift. If they do, the convergence of timelines will absorb them..."

"Exactly—absorbed by the convergence of timelines," the white-clad girl interrupted. "That's why this moment is my last in this world."

Her gaze shifted to Hoshino. Though her words carried a tinge of sorrow, her voice, faint and trembling, remained filled with optimism. "The timeline will merge us into one. Since my existence was already erased, I have nothing to lose. It won't have any physical effect on you either."

"You... will disappear?"

Looking at this smaller version of herself from another future, Hoshino felt a deep sense of surrealism. This wasn't like imagining herself ten years ahead—this girl, from an era beyond her reach, felt so distant that Hoshino didn't even know how to address her.

"I won't disappear. We'll simply become one as the timeline corrects itself." The girl's small figure was already beginning to blur, her shadow fading along with the dying echoes of her voice.

"This way, I can witness a future unlike the one I knew—a future where everyone can smile together."

The hope reflected in her crimson eyes became a radiant light that sank deep into Hoshino's heart.

Perhaps someday in the distant future, that feeling buried deep within her would resurface, and she'd think to herself: Look, I finally did it.

"So, she vanished in the end."

Paradox lowered his head, his expression obscured. His voice was calm, but the storm of emotions within him had clearly settled into something resolute.

"If you had cooperated with me, reshaping the world would have been effortless. Instead, you chose to stand against me. Now, I'll prove that my path was the only correct choice! Let's continue the duel, Hoshino Chiyuki!"

Hoshino raised her now-glowing deck, fire burning in her eyes. "A man blinded by his own foolish dreams—you really do live up to that name, Paradox. At this point, right or wrong doesn't even matter anymore. Right now, all I want is to beat you to a pulp on her behalf!"

"My turn—draw!"

As she drew, the card in her hand radiated with white light, and the remnants of the girl's strength surged into her fingers.

"During my Standby Phase, I activate the effect of Spartacus in my graveyard! If my opponent controls more monsters than I do, I can Special Summon this card!"

Currently, Paradox had Malefic Rainbow Dragon and Malefic Cyber End Dragon on his field, while Hoshino had only the shield-bearing Leonidas holding the line.

"Come forth, in Defense Position—[Heroic Spirit - Spartacus]!"

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

The materialized Spartacus grinned widely. "With love and rebellion, let's create a future free from oppression!"

Retrieving Spartacus from her graveyard, Hoshino wasted no time activating another effect.

"At the moment Spartacus is Special Summoned, I activate the effect of [Heroic Spirit - Meltryllis Lily] from my hand! If I successfully Special Summon a Heroic Spirit monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!"

[Heroic Spirit - Meltryllis Lily, ★ (Level 1)][DARK] [Spellcaster/Tuner/Effect][ATK 0/DEF 0]

With a graceful spin, the petite, elegant Lily materialized on the field. "As the beginning of Master's new power, let me usher in a new era~"

"I set two cards and Tribute Spartacus to perform a Tribute Summon..."

Within moments, Hoshino had played four cards, clearing out her hand in an instant.

"—[Heroic Spirit - Li Shuwen]!"

[Heroic Spirit – Li Shuwen (Lancer) ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][WIND] [Warrior/Effect] [ATK 2000/DEF 1900]

The glimmering spear in his hands shone brightly against the azure battlefield.

"With my spear and fists, I shall witness this path to a new future!"

"I activate Li Shuwen's effect! When this card is Normal or Special Summoned and I have no cards in my hand, I can draw two cards and send one to the graveyard!"

Hoshino had deliberately emptied her hand earlier to trigger Li Shuwen's effect. Drawing two new cards, she carefully examined them before sending one to the graveyard.

As summon after summon illuminated her field, Paradox scoffed. "You're certainly skilled at summoning weak monsters. But even if you add up the attack points of everything you've played, it still wouldn't come close to either of my Malefic monsters."

Hoshino smirked, her crimson eyes gleaming. "Paradox, it's time to show you my new power. Honestly, I should thank you..."

"Thank me?"

"Yeah. For demonstrating Synchro Summoning earlier!"

Paradox's confident expression faltered as unease crept over him.

[If this card is used as Synchro Material, you can treat it as Level 4.]

Hoshino pointed to her two monsters. "I'll tune [Heroic Spirit - Meltryllis Lily] (Level 4 Tuner) with [Heroic Spirit - Li Shuwen] (Level 6) to perform a Level 10 Synchro Summon!"

White rings of light surrounded Li Shuwen and Lily, their forms dissolving as they transcended time itself.

"Let the bonds that defy time awaken a new hope! The souls of Heroic Spirits spanning the ages will open the path to the future! Synchro Summon! [Heroic Spirit - Li Shuwen of No Second Strike]!"

The pure white Synchro card appeared in Hoshino's hand for the first time.

[Heroic Spirit – Li Shuwen of No Second Strike ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)][DARK] [Warrior/Synchro/Effect][ATK 3000/DEF 2500]

[Heroic Spirit Tuner + Heroic Spirit - Li Shuwen]

An elderly Li Shuwen materialized, his spear absent, yet his martial aura at its peak. His sharp gaze held the weight of a lifetime's mastery.

"Tsk, even I have to step in at this point? What a hassle~" He sighed, cracking his knuckles. "Well then, let this old man have a little fun!"

(*****)

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