"I activate the Field Spell Card, [Starry Knight Sky]."
Rikka's voice echoed beneath the artificial starry sky. She raised a card high in her hand, the gesture like a prayer offered to the stars.
"According to its first effect: as long as this card exists in the Field Zone, in addition to your Normal Summon, once per turn during your Main Phase, you can Normal Summon 1 'Starry Knight' monster or a Level 7 LIGHT Dragon monster."
She slammed another card down into the Monster Zone. The force of it even made the Duel Disk's projection device emit a low hum.
"That means an additional Normal Summon—come forth, [Starry Knight Astel]!"
A spellcaster clad in ceremonial robes and holding a star staff appeared amidst the starlight. Unlike Rayel's knightly armor from before, Astel resembled a sage who guided the stars.
"Next, I activate its first effect!"
Rikka did not pause for even a moment. Her finger pointed at the sage who had just appeared on the field. "Target 1 LIGHT monster on your field; Tribute that monster, then Special Summon 1 Level 7 LIGHT Dragon monster from your hand. This effect can also be activated during your opponent's turn—what you'd call a Quick Effect setup."
The boss's eyebrow twitched, the ominous premonition growing stronger by the second.
"The one I'll Tribute… is itself!"
With Rikka's declaration, Astel's figure scattered into countless motes of light.
Still, this was not the end; it was the prelude to something far greater.
Rikka took a deep breath. In her azure eyes, it was as if white flames were burning. She swung her arm fiercely, and at that moment, her oversized black coat seemed to transform into the membranous wings of a dragon.
"Come forth! O sacred dragon that has illuminated the night since the birth of the ancient stars! Answer my call and descend!"
In that instant, the lighting throughout the entire hotpot restaurant was stripped away. Every light, every projection, seemed to yield to highlight the one existence that tore through the darkness.
"[Starry Night, Starry Dragon]!!!"
The previously stable starry sky projection suddenly went berserk. Countless meteors converged into a blinding white light, veering off their predetermined paths as they fell like divine punishment.
"ROAR!!!
Along with a clear and majestic dragon's roar, a pure white, winged dragon burst forth from the light. Its scales shimmered like diamonds, and with every breath, it exhaled stardust.
The immense impact transformed into a tangible gale, sweeping across the entire Duel platform. The boss had no choice but to raise his arm to shield himself from the blast, and even nearby diners at adjacent tables squinted as they were buffeted by the wind.
"So this is… the dragon of the Starry Knight?"
Before anyone could recover from the shock, Rikka had already pointed toward the smoking [Volcanic Blaze Accelerator].
"[Starry Night, Starry Dragon] first effect: when this card is Normal or Special Summoned from the hand, target 1 card on the field; destroy it!"
The white dragon opened its massive jaws, unleashing a pure beam of starlight. Without any suspense, it slammed directly into the grotesque cannon.
Boom!
With a miserable explosion, the Continuous Spell Card symbolizing the core strategy of the Volcanic Deck was blasted into fragments.
"My cannon!" The boss cried out in pain, as if his own arm had just been blown off.
"Huff… huff…"
However, after completing this series of dazzling plays, Rikka did not strike her usual victorious pose. Instead, she braced herself against the railing of the Duel platform with both hands, gasping for breath.
Fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and her usually energetic face now looked somewhat pale.
Even with the coat covering her, Raku could see her legs trembling.
A sign of physical exhaustion.
Raku put down his chopsticks, his brows knitting slightly.
So this is what they call "Soul Power consumption"? In this world, summoning powerful monsters isn't as simple as playing a card; it requires the Duelist to provide the corresponding mental energy to sustain the monster's existence. The stronger the monster and the deeper the bond, the more apparent this consumption becomes.
He himself had dueled for so long in the park earlier without feeling tired at all. That was probably because… he hadn't summoned any monsters at all.
He had relied entirely on a few Trap Cards to annoy his opponent, which naturally didn't require this kind of "high-intensity soul resonance."
How ironic. The more underhanded the strategy, the less effort it takes.
However…
Raku's gaze fell upon the majestic white dragon, his eyes sweeping over the projected Attack value.
[Starry Night, Starry Dragon, ATK: 2500]
Well… damn.
The ace monsters of past Yu-Gi-Oh! Protagonists, from Dark Magician to Elemental HERO Neos, from Stardust Dragon to Number 39: Utopia… all had that unwavering 2500 Attack.
Raku glanced somewhat speechlessly at his little sister, who looked like she was about to collapse while still having a feverish gleam in her eyes.
Sis… so you're actually the protagonist here?
He thought, casually dumping a plate of freshly cooked premium fatty beef, now quite uncontested, into his dipping sauce.
Boom!
As the cannon symbolizing the power of the Volcanic Deck crumbled within the radiance, the entire hotpot restaurant felt as if a massive powder keg had been ignited.
The surrounding crowd erupted.
Those diners who had been staring at whether their duck intestines were cooked now jumped to their feet like they'd been injected with adrenaline. Some even forgot to put down their chopsticks, raising oil-dripping chopsticks as they cheered.
More people hurriedly pulled out their phones.
The frequency of camera flashes nearly rivaled that of a product launch event. Countless lenses were aimed at the white dragon spreading its wings beneath the starry sky, and at the silver-haired girl standing beneath its head, her coat fluttering wildly.
"So cool! What kind of Dragon monster is that? I've never seen it before!"
"What overwhelming pressure! Is this the aura of a Duelist?"
Exclamations rose one after another. That pure frenzy born from witnessing the arrival of a powerful monster surged like a heatwave, even more scalding than the bubbling red broth of the hotpot.
Raku sat in the corner, his usually lazy eyes now widened a bit.
In this world, summoning a powerful monster truly was something that could ignite everyone's blood. That unreasonable visual impact, that resonance that felt like it could set one's very soul ablaze…
To be honest, Raku felt a little envious of Rikka.
A well-structured Deck, a flashy ace monster, and this straightforward, hard-hitting dueling style.
This had originally been Raku's style as well.
But…
Raku glanced at his sister on the Duel platform, her cheeks flushed with excitement, even her ahoge swaying with the rhythm, and suddenly felt that it all made perfect sense.
After all, Rikka had always been this kind of vibrant person.
That unreserved passion of hers truly matched such a dazzling monster.
The duel continued. The feverish atmosphere did not cloud Rikka's mind; instead, her gaze grew even sharper.
"Now! I activate the second effect of [Starry Knight Astel] in my Graveyard!"
Rikka's voice cut through the surrounding noise, ringing across the entire venue.
"Banish this card from the Graveyard, then target 1 Level 7 LIGHT Dragon monster on your field. That monster's Attack, until the end of your opponent's turn, rises by 1000!"
She sharply pointed toward the giant dragon in the air.
"Receive the blessing of starlight! [Starry Night, Starry Dragon], your Attack rises!"
The already enormous white dragon let out a roar toward the heavens. Countless specks of starlight gathered upon its scales like fireflies. Its size did not actually increase, but the terrifying pressure it emitted surged to an entirely new level.
[Starry Night, Starry Dragon, ATK: 2500 → 3500]
The crimson number flickered once before settling at a suffocating height.
"3… 3500?!"
"Such a powerful Dragon?! Its Attack already surpasses the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
The shop owner tilted his head back, staring at the dragon that nearly touched the ceiling. On his plump face, instead of fear, appeared a grin uglier than crying… at the same time, filled with exhilaration.
"Hahahaha! Good! Good! This humble shop owner… is really getting fired up!!!"
That trembling unique to Duelists when facing a powerful opponent made his entire body shake.
Everyone was excited. Everyone was thrilled. This kind of passionate scene, this feeling that went beyond mere victory or defeat and into the collision of souls, made even the ever-calm Raku unconsciously clench his fist.
This is what a duel is.
"Entering the Battle Phase!"
Rikka took a deep breath. At this moment, that large coat truly seemed like her battle attire.
"[Starry Night, Starry Dragon], attack [Volcanic Slicer]!"
The white dragon dove down, carrying a world-destroying momentum.
"Then—at the start of the Damage Step, [Starry Night, Starry Dragon]'s third effect activates!"
Before the dragon's claws could touch the flaming warrior, Rikka's voice rang out again, filled with unquestionable resolve.
"Once per turn, at the start of the Damage Step when this card attacks an opponent's monster: banish that opponent's monster until the End Phase! When this effect is activated, this card can make one more attack!"
"Go! [Starry Night, Starry Dragon]—Meteor Burst!!!"
With her over-the-top shout, the white dragon did not strike directly. Instead, it unleashed a dazzling beam of starlight. The beam caused no damage; instead, like a massive cage, it instantly enveloped [Volcanic Slicer], banishing both it and the warrior into another dimension.
A section of the field was suddenly empty.
But this was only a feint.
"After that, attack [Volcanic Hammerer]!"
Rikka's finger shot toward the massive creature with 2400 Attack.
"Starry Night Assault!!!"
This was a move name she had just improvised. Though a bit embarrassing, it felt incredibly fitting at this moment.
"ROAR!"
[Starry Night, Starry Dragon] spun midair and, with its terrifying 3500 Attack, shot forward like a true meteor, crashing heavily into the thick armor of [Volcanic Hammerer].
Boom!!!
With a thunderous explosion, even as a virtual projection, the resulting shockwave made the tables and chairs in the restaurant rattle. [Volcanic Hammerer] let out a wail before shattering into countless fragments and vanishing into the air.
Even the shop owner standing behind it was forced back two steps by the virtual impact, nearly crashing into the cooking counter behind him.
[Shop Owner, LP: 4000 → 2900]
A huge chunk of Life Points was gone.
"And now you have no monsters on your field!"
Rikka gave the shop owner no chance to breathe. She pointed toward the only warrior on the field.
"[Starry Knight Rayel] attacks directly! 1800 damage—take it!"
Though not as dazzling as the dragon, the silver-armored knight's blade struck with perfect precision toward the shop owner's unguarded chest.
"Ugh!"
The shop owner let out a muffled groan. Even if it was only simulated pain, the solid direct attack made the flesh on his face twitch.
[Shop Owner, LP: 2900 → 1100]
In just a single turn, the balance of victory tilted.
"Main Phase 2."
Rikka wiped the sweat from her forehead and inserted a card into her back row.
"I set one card. End turn."
That Set card was [Starry Knight Blast].
The entire venue fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even louder applause.
"Nicely done."
Raku spoke softly, a trace of barely noticeable admiration in his eyes.
He wasn't just praising the flashy spectacle; he was praising Rikka's extremely clear tactical judgment.
A reckless player might have chosen to have the dragon banish the higher-Defense Hammerer first, then attack the lower-Attack Slicer, followed by Rayel's direct attack.
That line would deal more damage: 3500 minus 1800 equals 1700, plus Rayel's 1800, totaling 3500 damage.
Even though it wouldn't defeat a 4000 LP shop owner.
And once the turn ended, the banished [Volcanic Hammerer] would return. That would be a major threat—on the next turn, it could deal heavy burn damage with its effect, and combined with whatever unknown cards the shop owner held, it could easily turn the duel around and defeat Rikka.
So, Rikka chose to banish the seemingly less threatening [Volcanic Slicer] and focus all firepower on destroying the most troublesome [Volcanic Hammerer].
This was an extremely mature decision.
Although the shop owner was left with 1100 Life Points, more than the 500 that the other line would have left, this 1100 was absolutely safe. Because when his turn began, the only thing returning would be [Volcanic Slicer], which could only burn 500 LP per turn and posed no lethal threat at all.
"As expected of my little sister."
Raku lifted the barley tea in front of him, now long gone cold, and took a light sip, concealing the smile of satisfaction at the corner of his lips.
...
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