"Shadow Servant — Gilgamesh, change your attack target!"
The original strike that could have wiped out all of Hoshino's Life Points in a single blow was nullified by the Synchro Summon.
As the attack was redirected, facing the Defense Position Prince of Lanling and the Attack Position Karna Illya, Shadow Hoshino decisively altered her attack trajectory, locking onto Illya with the Gate of Babylon.
"Illya in Karna form has 4800 ATK, while Shadow Gilgamesh has 5000… what a shame!" Mokuba said unwillingly.
Even though both monsters had attack power surpassing Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, that mere 200-point difference still left Karna Illya unable to withstand the barrage of shadow Noble Phantasms, and she was defeated.
[Magical Girl — Karna Illya is destroyed]
[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 3500 → 3300]
"Next, the effect of Shadow Servant — Gilgamesh—during either player's turn, I can remove 1 Equip Card from this card and destroy 1 monster on your field!"
[Shadow Servant — Gilgamesh ATK 5000 → 4000]
The follow-up attack from the King's Treasury—given its overwhelming scale—was clearly not a single-target ability. By first destroying Karna Illya and then activating the effect, Shadow Hoshino ensured Gilgamesh retained the highest possible ATK.
Hoshino waved her hand and declared a counter:
"Not happening—dodge it, Prince of Lanling!"
"At your command, my lord~"
Gracefully weaving through the rain of Noble Phantasms, his elegant movements and peerless beauty made him resemble a pure white flower blooming on the battlefield—causing everyone present to blush unconsciously.
["(`Д´)ﾉ Damn it, such a beautiful face—and it's a man?! A man?!"]
"Other me, don't suddenly go into that weird hysterical mode…"
[While this card is face-up on your field, effects that target your 'Heroic Spirit' monsters are negated.]
"Because of Prince of Lanling's effect, the King's Treasury—which targets a monster to destroy—has its effect negated!"
After Lanling avoided the barrage, one of Shadow Hoshino's Equip Spells was sent to the Graveyard, leaving an open slot in her back row.
"I set one card and end my turn."
With another card placed into her Duel Disk, her back row remained fully loaded. Facing the Shadow version of herself, Hoshino couldn't read any expression at all—making her an even more troublesome opponent than someone with a perfect poker face.
"My turn. I don't feel like dragging this out against a shadow—I'll finish this duel this turn!"
Drawing her card, even under the sky filled with floating shadow treasures, Hoshino remained confident, now that she had regained the power of Synchro Summoning.
"Go, Hoshino! The opponent only has 8000 LP—it's like a candle!" Mokuba cheered.
Eve, however, looked completely confused. "Are you kidding? That's 8000 LP, not 800! If you can win in one turn, I'll eat this Star Chalice!"
Mokuba recalled, "The last time someone said something like that—the Paradox Brothers ended up eating their Duel Disk."
"!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ Seriously?!"
"I activate Spell Card—The Place We Will Eventually Reach!"
The Normal Spell she searched last turn with Prince of Lanling's effect was one of Hoshino's staple combo cards—sending to the Graveyard and reviving in one smooth sequence.
"I send Heroic Spirit — Marie Antoinette to the Graveyard, and Special Summon Heroic Spirit — Fuuma Kotarou from my Graveyard!"
[Heroic Spirit — Fuuma Kotarou ★★ (Level 2)][DARK][Warrior/Tuner/Effect][ATK 1400/DEF 0]
"Fuuma Kotarou returns once again!"
The ninja reappeared on the field, and with Prince of Lanling's protection, he no longer had to fear being sniped by the floating treasures above.
"At the same time, when Marie is sent to the Graveyard by an effect, I can add 1 'Heroic Spirit' monster from my Deck to my hand. I choose Heroic Spirit — Medusa!"
After searching the card, Hoshino moved her fingers across the Duel Disk, linking Fuuma Kotarou and the Prince of Lanling.
"Let's go—I Synchro Summon using Level 2 Fuuma Kotarou and Level 6 Prince of Lanling!"
The Synchro light enveloped both Heroic Spirits once more, transforming into a new form as a resounding neigh echoed across the harbor.
"—Gallop across the battlefield, wind of the war god! Run wild! Synchro Summon—Heroic Spirit — Red Hare!"
[Heroic Spirit — Red Hare ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][EARTH][Warrior/Synchro/Effect][ATK 2000/DEF 1600]
[Warrior Tuner + 1 or more 'Heroic Spirit' non-Tuner monsters]
"Rider has arrived! The peerless one under heaven shall now become your strength!"
A fusion of man and horse—surpassing even the centaurs of Greek mythology—human, steed, armor, and weapon merged into one, forming the ultimate cavalry Heroic Spirit, leaving everyone present stunned.
Eve: "(*ﾟﾛﾟ) What kind of monstrosity is this?! Why does it look so terrifying?!"
Mokuba: "Hoshino, your horse looks way too scary!"
Hoshino frowned slightly. "Enough noise—just watch! Effect of Heroic Spirit — Red Hare—"
[If you control no other monsters, this card's ATK becomes double its original value.]
"Among men, Lü Bu—among horses, Red Hare! Now united as one—prepare yourself!"
Red Hare spun the Pseudo–Five Weapons of the War God at high speed, stirring a blazing wave across the battlefield to clash against the King's Treasury in the sky.
[Heroic Spirit — Red Hare ATK 2000 → 4000]
Mash exclaimed excitedly, "Master, your horse's ATK is equal to your opponent's now!"
"…Since when did even Mash start talking like that?"
["Aibo, this is bad! If you used the Prince of Lanling as Synchro Material, then—"]
The shadow Noble Phantasms began moving again, once more locking onto Hoshino's field.
With Lanling sent to the Graveyard as Synchro Material, the Heroic Spirits lost their targeting protection. Naturally, they became valid targets for the Gate of Babylon, and Shadow Hoshino seized that opening without hesitation.
"Effect of Shadow Servant — Gilgamesh—I remove 1 Equip Card to destroy your Synchro Summoned Heroic Spirit — Red Hare!"
"Just as I expected—you took the bait!" Hoshino smirked and flipped her final set card.
"—Trap Card activated: Summer's Futuresight!"
[Summer's Futuresight Effect: If you control a 'Heroic Spirit' Synchro Monster, when your opponent activates a monster effect, you can target 1 monster they control and negate its effect.]
"See into the future, Red Hare!"
With its unique perception of time, once it detects the "sign of chaos," it strikes like a storm to eliminate the enemy.
"UOOOOOOOO!!"
The Pseudo–Five Weapons of the War God swept across the sky, and in a single instant of Red Hare's counterattack, all the shadow Noble Phantasms filling the heavens were completely destroyed.
"Because of Summer's Futuresight, the effect of your Shadow Servant — Gilgamesh is negated! That means Gilgamesh can no longer gain ATK from his Equip Cards!"
[Shadow Servant — Gilgamesh ATK 4000 → 0]
"The opponent's ATK dropped to 0, while Red Hare has 4000—this is our chance, Hoshino!" Mokuba clenched his fist excitedly, even glancing smugly at Eve.
Eve muttered cautiously, "Hmm… that Star Chalice looks pretty hard. I don't think I can bite through it… Wait, the opponent still has 8000 LP. The outcome isn't decided yet!"
"Miss Eve… why are your lines starting to sound more and more like a villain's?" Mash said, completely at a loss.
"My attack isn't over yet!" Hoshino declared, pulling a card from her Graveyard slot.
"Effect of Red Hare—when this card is Synchro Summoned, I can add 1 'Heroic Spirit' monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I recover Fuuma Kotarou and Normal Summon him!"
[Fuuma Kotarou ATK 1400]
"Fuuma ninja—third appearance!"
["Aibo, if you keep summoning more monsters, Red Hare's ATK will drop."]
[Red Hare ATK 4000 → 2000]
"I wasn't planning to win with the horse anyway—get ready for a third Synchro!"
Hoshino's fingers swiftly moved across the Duel Disk once more. This time, the Synchro ring erupted with an overwhelming, violent aura.
"I tune Level 2 Fuuma Kotarou with Level 8 Red Hare!"
"—Strength that can uproot mountains and shatter the earth! Let tyrannical power take form as a great blade that rends history itself! Manifest, legend—Synchro Summon Heroic Spirit — Xiang Yu!"
[Heroic Spirit — Xiang Yu ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)][WIND][Machine/Synchro/Effect][ATK 3000/DEF 2500]
[1 Tuner + 1 'Heroic Spirit' Synchro Monster]
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH—!"
"It's huge! What kind of broken monster is that?!" Eve cried out as the massive six-armed, horse-bodied black mechanical beast descended—an even more shocking sight than Red Hare.
Raising a blade wrapped in violent energy, Xiang Yu pointed forward.
"I am Xiang Yu. Your destruction is inevitable. To fall here is your destined fate!"
Hoshino slammed a card onto the Duel Disk and declared:
"Effect of Heroic Spirit — Xiang Yu—when this card is Synchro Summoned, it gains ATK equal to half the total ATK of its materials, and it cannot be destroyed by battle!"
[Heroic Spirit — Xiang Yu ATK 3000 → 4700]
"4700 ATK… that's still not enough," Mash said nervously.
"This is where Red Hare's effect comes in!" Hoshino revealed the Red Hare card from her Graveyard. "A monster that used Red Hare as Synchro Material can deal double battle damage once!"
"4700 doubled—that's 9400 damage!" Mokuba shouted excitedly. "An actual one-hit kill!"
"I-It's not over yet!" Eve stammered, trying to keep her composure. "T-the opponent still has one set card! I might not have to eat the cup!"
At this point, she had completely taken on the role of a villain.
"Finish this, Xiang Yu!" Hoshino pointed forward and declared her attack. "Target the effect-sealed Shadow Servant — Gilgamesh—crush everything!"
"I am no tyrant—only a gear needed to advance history. Any who stand in the way shall be destroyed!!"
Roaring forward, Xiang Yu charged with terrifying speed and mass, whipping up violent storms across the battlefield.
"M-My set Trap activates!"
Even Shadow Hoshino's voice trembled slightly—after all, anyone would feel fear seeing such a monstrous figure charging straight at them.
"—Poster Girl! I Special Summon a Heroic Spirit from my Deck in Defense Position to take this attack instead!"
"So you even copied that card of mine… what a shame!" Hoshino smirked confidently, pointing toward the petrified back row. "Can you even activate that card right now?"
"Petrified?" Shadow Hoshino questioned.
"As long as Heroic Spirit — Medusa is on the field, I can choose one of your set cards and prevent it from being activated!"
Standing beside Hoshino, Medusa had appeared unnoticed—while everyone's attention was focused on Red Hare and Xiang Yu.
"That's impossible—you shouldn't have a Normal Summon left!" Shadow Hoshino protested.
Hoshino revealed the Prince of Lanling from her Graveyard, using the beautiful general to play the final move.
"Effect of Heroic Spirit — Prince of Lanling—when this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Level 6 or lower 'Heroic Spirit' from my hand!"
Using Lanling's effect after being sent as Synchro Material, Hoshino Special Summoned Medusa—searched earlier—and immediately sealed Shadow Hoshino's set card.
"It's over—this is the final act, the 'Farewell Song of the Prince of Lanling'!"
With the last obstacle cleared, Xiang Yu charged forward. His six blades, wrapped in violent energy, came crashing down in a world-shattering strike.
"ROOOOAR!! Strength to uproot mountains, might to dominate the world—behold my martial power! HAAAH—!!"
The finishing blow erupted into a storm-like vortex—dealing double battle damage.
4700 × 2 = 9400 damage
In a single strike, all of Shadow Hoshino's Life Points were wiped out.
[Shadow Hoshino LP 8000 → 0]
[Duel Over — Winner: Hoshino Chiyuki!]