Ten Minutes Earlier — Hoshino Residence
After listening to Eve's explanation, Hoshino more or less understood the situation regarding the Star Grail and the Star Relics.
"So hurry up and let's go, Hoshino! To fight against the Nine Realms King, we need to search for the Star Relics scattered across the world!" Eve urged again.
"This still feels super suspicious." Hoshino shot the shrine maiden Eve a sideways glance.
It was only a guess, but Hoshino had the feeling Eve was hiding something. Especially that habit of averting her eyes whenever she lied—it was far too easy to read.
Hoshino pressed, "In the end, this is just your side of the story, right? If you want people to believe you, at least show some proper proof of your identity."
"(°Д°) P-proper proof?" Eve suddenly panicked and racked her brain. "Wasn't crashing down from the sky and smashing through your wall proof enough? Can ordinary people do that?!"
Ordinary people definitely couldn't—but the moment she mentioned it, Hoshino felt a surge of resentment.
Judging by the hole in the wall and the cold wind leaking in, she probably couldn't sleep in her own room tonight… she'd have to shamelessly go squeeze into Mash's bed instead.
["Aibo, you covered your mouth and laughed just now, didn't you?"]
"No, I was just wiping drool."
"I-I can use healing magic too! You saw it, didn't you, Hoshino!" Eve puffed up proudly as she remembered another piece of "evidence."
"You call that healing magic? After using it, you collapsed into an orz pose. I could grab any random dog from Chaldea and it'd do better than you."
Cu Chulainn: "I feel strangely offended…"
Suddenly realizing something, Eve clutched her chest and said cautiously,
"Don't tell me… masaka! Hoshino, you want me to prove it with a shrine maiden's pure body?! No way! The famous shrine maiden Reimu Hakurei once said—even between girls, shrine maidens can't do that kind of thing… unless you pay!"
"Who'd want your flat-board body…"
["Aibo, you and Eve are about the same though."]
Given the current situation, this shrine maiden who carried the Star Grail was completely useless. If she counted as a Duel Spirit, she'd definitely be a vanilla monster with no effect.
"Oh! I remember!" Eve suddenly perked up. "I can use a shrine maiden's power to strengthen you, Hoshino!"
Hoshino raised an eyebrow. "Strengthen? What kind? I'm not the one fighting personally—what good is buffing me?"
"No, listen! I know you have a very special way of boosting your combat power, right? That method is very similar to a shrine maiden's prayer ritual to the Star God!"
"A shrine maiden's prayer ritual to the Star God? What's that?"
Eve closed her eyes and explained, "The ritual is when a shrine maiden offers carefully prepared offerings to the Star God, and the Star God randomly grants a blessing in return. Most of the time it's worthless stuff, but sometimes you get incredibly valuable magic gems!"
["Damn, that's just gacha pulling. Even gods have learned pay-to-win tricks now."]
"So the 'strengthening' you're talking about is…?"
"Hoshino, hold my hand first."
"Oh, okay."
Maybe because the bindings were too tight and the blood flow wasn't great, Eve's little hand felt cold—but it was still as smooth and delicate as silk.
"Here we go. Prayer of the Star Grail Shrine Maiden—Star God, please grant your blessing~"
A mysterious magic flowed through Eve's hand into Hoshino's fingertips. The moment she received the Star God's blessing, Hoshino instantly understood what Eve meant by "strengthening."
"I can feel it!" As if electricity ran through her brain, Hoshino opened her system interface. "This time it'll work, I know it!"
[Super Special Featured Pool! XYZ Summon–Specialized Heroic Spirits on rate-up!]
[Remaining Saint Quartz: 70]
[Confirm 10-Pull!!]
On just the first summon, the rainbow glow of a guaranteed pull filled Hoshino's vision.
"So amazing! Is this the Star God's blessing? Miracle single pull—one-shot jackpot!"
As the rainbow light faded, the newest XYZ-specialized Heroic Spirit card appeared in Hoshino's hand.
"Answering the call of the gods—though still in my younger form, Jeanne has come to assist you, Master!"
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne, Holy Maiden ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][LIGHT][Warrior/Effect][ATK 2500/DEF 3000]
[① Return 1 "Heroic Spirit" Xyz monster from your GY to the Deck to Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position.
② When this card is Special Summoned, Special Summon 1 "Heroic Spirit" monster from your GY; its Level becomes 8 and its effects are negated. After this effect, you cannot Special Summon non-"Heroic Spirit" monsters from the Extra Deck.]
"It's an XYZ-specialized version—Jeanne in her younger days!"
Compared to the previous XYZ Okita and Nobunaga, the condition of needing an Xyz monster in the Graveyard was stricter—but being able to revive monsters as Xyz Materials greatly reduced hand resource consumption.
Most importantly, with a substitute now, she wouldn't have to listen to those two doing comedy routines every duel anymore.
"So this is the experience of an RNG god? Nine pulls left—I'm going to drain this banner dry!"
"Ah… Hoshino… I'm out of mana… I can't…"
After just one pull, Eve collapsed, wobbling weakly before lying flat on the bed with a peaceful expression.
"(.--)zzZ After a prayer ritual, a shrine maiden needs proper rest… oyasumi, Hoshino~"
"Hey, no way! That was only the first card! If I'd known you had such low stamina, I wouldn't have gone straight for a ten-pull!"
However, even though Eve's magic had stopped, the ten-pull that had already begun couldn't be canceled. Watching card after card appear in her hand after Jeanne, Hoshino could already guess the outcome of the remaining nine pulls.
["Wow, a full set of Nine Keys… I don't even know whether to call you unlucky or lucky, aibo!"]
Shaking the peacefully sleeping Eve, Hoshino asked anxiously, "Eve, when can you gather enough magic for another pull?"
"Probably after I wake up… and eat something to recover my strength~" Eve mumbled sleepily.
Since using a shrine maiden's prayer as a medium for gacha hadn't gotten her "banned" like the time Jonouchi did a lucky proxy pull, it meant there must be some kind of legitimate logic behind it.
So in Hoshino's eyes, the blue-haired shrine maiden lying on the bed wasn't a cute girl anymore—she was an entire bedsheet's worth of Saint Quartz.
"Don't worry, I'll have Emiya feed you until you're plump and healthy… (then squeeze out as much value as possible)!"
[Eve: Star Grail Shrine Maiden → Gacha-support Tool Character]
"Let's end the farce here. I think the academy's duel should be reaching its conclusion soon."
Kaiba Man, who had been silent while watching Hoshino and Eve, suddenly spoke.
Hoshino tensed. "Reaching a conclusion? Did someone start fighting the Nine Realms King?"
Kaiba Man explained, "I've been sensing violent energy from mechanical monsters clashing. It's probably Zane of the Cyber Style dueling Dovelgus, who commands Machine-types."
"Then… can Zane win?"
"Just a feeling—but judging from Life Points, Dovelgus probably has an overwhelming advantage. Still, until the very last moment, victory is uncertain."
["Aibo, I believe Kaiser will definitely win!"]
Hoshino nodded. "Right. The king of Duel Academy can't lose to some random 'king' that showed up out of nowhere. Let's head to the academy first!"
Looking toward the violently colliding electronic field in the distance, Kaiba Man recalled his conversation with Seto Kaiba.
"But if Zane truly defeats the Dwarf Union King, it proves Seto Kaiba's judgment was correct."
(***)
Three years earlier — Kaiba Corporation
"So, it's finished? The Xyz Overlay Network."
Standing on the observation deck at the top of the building, Kaiba Man had seen his own avatar created by King Solomon before, yet every time he was still secretly amazed by Solomon's near-miraculous ability.
"Hmph. The Duel Links framework was completed four years ago. The Overlay Network is just an improvement built on top of that."
With his back turned, Seto Kaiba looked down over Domino City from the observation deck.
Kaiba Man laughed. "Hahaha, calling a global Overlay Network just an 'improvement'? Then I'll leave the decision of when to activate it to you."
Kaiba frowned slightly. "Are you ordering me around?"
"No, just a suggestion. You're the president of KaibaCorp, after all." Kaiba Man chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I'm just a duelist who commands the Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
"Then fix that irritating attitude of yours!"
"No need." Kaiba Man refused. "The academy was officially founded this year. I doubt we'll have any chance to meet again."
He stepped back. The heels of his black boots touched the edge of the observation deck. Spreading his arms, he leaned back and fell.
"Seto Kaiba—when you judge that humanity can control this power and grasp the radiant future filled with possibilities, open this path of light to a new era… and new crises!"
"Final Evolution Flame—Sixfold Barrage!!!!"
[Dovelgus LP 4200 → 0]
.
..
...
"Just trust my driving! —Golden Drive – Good Night!!"
After successfully saving Zane, Kintoki and Hoshino made a forced landing. The D-Wheel scraped violently across the ground, throwing sparks and lightning-like streaks as it drifted across the academy floor.
Fortunately, this D-Wheel—Paradox's legacy—was built to withstand time-travel-level stress. Otherwise, Kintoki's stunt would've destroyed both rider and machine.
"Hoshino-Nee!"
"Senpai!"
"Thank goodness you're back, Headmistress!"
If Zane's victory over Dovelgus filled everyone with excitement, Hoshino's arrival gave them real reassurance.
Jumping off the D-Wheel, Hoshino ordered, "Crowler, go check on Zane. Akasha, give me a quick rundown."
"Yes, ma'am!" Crowler dashed toward the academy rooftop.
"Well, it's like this, Hoshino-nee…"
After hearing Akasha's explanation, Hoshino understood the situation.
"Crowler was defeated… and even Jaden got one-shot and fell unconscious, huh."
So Eve's earlier warning wasn't an exaggeration. Crowler aside, anyone who could instantly defeat Jaden wasn't on the same level as their previous enemies.
Hoshino looked around but didn't see Jaden—he was probably carried back to the Red Dorm by Professor Banner.
Hoshino Alter said emotionally, "In that situation, stepping up to protect the academy and turning the duel around… that's my specially trained Zane!"
"Oh, right—there's one more thing," Alexis added. "Minazuki… was taken away…"
"Huh?" Hoshino froze. "Why would Minazuki get captured?"
Akasha crossed her arms. "Rather than captured, I'd say he went willingly. Honestly, we don't need to worry about him—he's probably enjoying himself right now."
Hoshino sighed. "Even if Minazuki's always fooling around—playing Hyakunin Isshu or Shadowverse during class—he's still our student. We can't just ignore him."
"How could this be… a great king defeated by mere humans…"
After a long time, Loptr—the Shadow of the King—finally staggered back in shock.
"A king?"
Following the voice, Hoshino's gaze landed on Loptr near the roots of the World Tree.
"So you're the 'king,' huh? You dared kidnap my student—beat him up, Kintoki!"
"Roger, boss! —Knight Kick!"
"W-wait, I'm not the king—ugh!" Before he could explain, Loptr was kicked away by Kintoki and rolled along the roots.
"Hoshino-nee, he's not the king—just the king's lackey," Akasha explained. "But nice hit. I've hated his smug face for ages."
"Damn humans… how dare you use violence on me!" Loptr wiped blood from his mouth, veins bulging.
"What, you think you can beat all of us alone?" Hoshino cracked her knuckles with a wicked grin.
Even if he wasn't the king, as a lackey he should know where the King who took Minazuki went.
"I won't forgive you, human!" Loptr roared, pointing at Hoshino. "Come on—duel me!"
…Of course it went this way again. Honestly, Hoshino was very curious—if she ignored the duel challenge and just beat him up anyway, what would happen for breaking the world's rules like that?