Duelists Never Surrender!

"This card... it has this kind of effect?" Nero looked at the Duel Spirit with blue hair on Yukikaze's field. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly. Searching, dumping, reviving... if only her own deck system had cards like this.

"My turn, Draw Phase!" Yukikaze looked at the card she drew. It wasn't Dark Hole, which she had hoped for, but with this card... with this card, she could win!

"I activate the Field Spell Card—Marincess World!"

Marincess World, which had been bounced back to the deck, returned to Yukikaze's field once again, seemingly declaring the start of her counterattack.

"Next, I activate the effect of Rosemary of the Six Flowers on my field, adding Heather of the Six Flowers from my deck to my hand!" Yukikaze searched for a card from her deck and continued, "I activate the effect of Madolche Puddingscess in my graveyard. When this card is in the graveyard, you can Tribute 1 Plant monster on your field; you can activate this effect. This card is Special Summoned in Defense Position. I Tribute Rosemary of the Six Flowers on my field to revive it! Heather, Madolche Puddingscess!"

That's right, even if monsters enter the graveyard, it doesn't mean they're dead! Although she didn't know who was reminding her, she was grateful!

Yukikaze thanked them silently in her heart, her hands not slowing down. "Due to the effect of Marincess World, Madolche Puddingscess's ATK rises to 3100! Now, I enter the Battle Phase!"

"What?!"

"3100 is less than 4000, what is she doing? Is she committing suicide?!"

"Maybe she thinks dying with dignity is better?"

"Shut up!" Mina couldn't help but shout. "Yukikaze has her reasons for doing this, and this duel doesn't need your commentary!"

"What's the effect of Heather, right?" Nero looked at the card Yukikaze had just added to her hand.

"Of course. Right now, I activate Heather's effect! When one of your Plant monsters other than this card declares an attack, you can activate this effect by Tributing this card from your hand or field. That monster's ATK/DEF increases by 1000 until the end of the turn!"

"So Madolche Puddingscess's ATK is not 3100, but 4100!"

"This is my limit, so please help me win! Madolche Puddingscess! Attack Chaos MAX Dragon!"

The elegant Madolche Puddingscess attacked the giant Chaos MAX Dragon. The two massive waves of energy collided, emitting a dazzling light. But soon, Madolche Puddingscess's energy overwhelmed Chaos MAX Dragon, and it dissipated in a flash of white light.

Nero: 2800 LP → 2700 LP.

"Great! Yukikaze and Madolche Puddingscess are amazing! Go! Go! Win!" Mina said, her face flushed red.

"The first-year students are truly terrifying," even the instructor couldn't help but praise. When she was this age, she was still using Thousand-Eyes Restrict to Fusion Summon some Fusion Monsters with no real effect.

"I end my turn like this," Yukikaze said, panting.

"My turn, Draw Phase!" Nero looked at the card she drew. Her previously high spirits were doused like a bucket of cold water. Her cute little face instantly dimmed—she had drawn a card she really didn't want to draw right now.

It seems it's over.

It's a shame, Shiraha Yukikaze.

You couldn't defeat me either.

Duelists who cannot defeat me are meaningless.

So, I'm sorry, we can't be friends anymore.

"I enter my Main Phase and activate the Spell Card—Preparation of the Rites." Nero inserted the card she drew into her Duel Disk. "I add Ritual of Descension and Hane-Kujaku, the Soulbird God to my hand."

"Damn it, why is there a second copy of such a powerful monster!" Mina said with despair. "Yukikaze worked so hard..."

"It's okay, you can just win next time."

"We can only win next time."

"I activate Ritual of Descension, send Hime-Kujaku, the Spirit Bird from my hand to the graveyard, and Special Summon Hane-Kujaku, the Soulbird God from my hand." Nero expressionlessly placed Hane-Kujaku onto her Duel Disk. "Then, I activate Hane-Kujaku's effect, bouncing Madolche Puddingscess on your field back to your hand."

Yukikaze trembled as she extended her right hand and took Madolche Puddingscess from her Duel Disk back into her hand.

"Then, direct attack."

Yukikaze: 1300 LP → 0 LP.

Winner: Nero.Arisa!

Lo... lost?

She had mustered her courage, she had given her all, and yet she still lost. Didn't she... not help at all?!

Yukikaze felt her head spin as if it were filled with lead. Her calves suddenly went weak, and she was about to fall forward to the ground.

But just then, a pair of warm hands rested on her shoulders, supporting her.

"You did well, thank you."

Yukikaze looked up, and a familiar face appeared in her line of sight. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

"I... I tried my best... but... I..."

"It's okay, you'll win next time."

"Who are you?" Nero looked at the man who had suddenly entered the dueling arena, frowning.

"I'm Hara Shichi, the one you were looking for." Hara Shichi handed Yukikaze over to Mina, who was standing nearby.

"I heard you wanted to duel me?"

Chapter Thirty-Nine: It's Normal to Lose Your Mind for a Friend

Hara Shichi was not from this world, so he couldn't imagine someone crying over losing a duel.

But there was one thing he understood: the tears in the girl's eyes were shed because of him.

"Weren't you going to duel?" The silver Duel Disk attached itself to Hara Shichi's arm. "I happen to have some time right now."

"I want the Xyz Monster in your hand," Nero said, taking out Herald of the Rainbow Light. "I'll bet this card. If it's not enough, I can add more."

"Not enough, of course it's not enough," Hara Shichi said with a faint smile. "My Tiramisu of the Tiara can only be summoned with Madolche monsters. You'll have to take my entire Deck to use Tiramisu of the Tiara."

"You mean... you want to bet your entire Deck against mine?" A layer of frost spread across Nero's cheeks. She certainly didn't think he was kindly informing her of Tiramisu of the Tiara's summoning restriction.

If he was going to bet his Deck, she had to bet hers too.

This was a provocation. He was provoking her.

"Of course, isn't betting each other's Decks a common tactic for you people?" Hara Shichi arrogantly raised his head. "Come on, let me hunt your Deck."

"Arrogant," Nero said, raising her left hand without hesitation. "If you can do it, then try."

"Duel!"

"Duel!"

"Again?!"

"Classmate Hara Shichi, teach this guy a good lesson for us!"

"Whoa, betting Decks... going all out again."

The onlookers, who thought it was over, once again focused their attention on the two of them.

"Beep!"

"I'll take the first turn," Hara Shichi said without hesitation.

"Ah! I explicitly told him to let me go second!" Mina, watching from the side, exclaimed, grabbing her hair.

"Classmate Hara Shichi must have his reasons," Yukikaze said. She had recovered from her earlier state, but her cute little face was still flushed. She was so embarrassed to have cried like a child just now.

"Because Classmate Hara Shichi's Deck has a lot of disruption," Aoshi explained. "If he uses a card like Forbidden Chalice on the first turn to negate Thunder King Rai-Oh's effect, he might be able to interrupt Nero's plays."

"I see!"

"Betting your Deck so decisively." Ai floated beside Hara Shichi, her sky-blue skirt swaying slightly as her legs moved. "If you lose, will the two of us have to start all over again?"

"Can't be helped, my friend was crying in front of me," Hara Shichi said casually. "Isn't it normal to make an irrational judgment because a friend is upset?"

"You're impossible," Ai said, a slight smile on her lips. "But don't worry, I won't let you lose."

"Yeah, while your words make me happy and touched, ... aren't I the one playing the card game?" Hara Shichi glanced sideways at Ai. "Or can you control the order of my Deck so I can draw whatever I want?"

"How could I possibly do something like that!" Ai retorted.

"I can't," Hara Shichi said. After bantering with Ai for a while, his somewhat agitated mood improved.

"I enter my Main Phase and Normal Summon Madolche Puddingcess."

The cute little angel reappeared on the Duel Field, but soon, after not being on the field for long, she was sent to the Graveyard by Hara Shichi without mercy.

"I activate Madolche Puddingcess's effect, Tribute Madolche Puddingcess to Special Summon Madolche Puddingscess from my Deck!"

"Next, I activate Madolche Puddingscess's effect, banish Madolche Puddingcess from the Graveyard to Special Summon Madolche - Glace-Glace Mailman from my Deck. Then, I activate Glace-Glace Mailman's effect to add Madolche Ticket from my Deck to my hand."

"I activate Madolche Ticket, then Set three cards, and end my turn."

"Three cards set all at once?"

"Aren't you afraid of running out of monsters by setting so many Spells and Traps?"

Nero looked at the three Set cards on Hara Shichi's field and said calmly, "My turn, I draw."

"Entering my Main Phase, I Normal Summon Thunder King Rai-Oh. I activate Thunder King Rai-Oh's effect to add one Ritual Spell Card or Ritual Monster from my Deck to my hand." As he spoke, Nero's black eyes looked at Hara Shichi, as if waiting for something.

"A hand trap?" Hara Shichi understood Nero's intention, but sometimes you just had to play it. He revealed one of his Set cards and said, "I Chain Forbidden Chalice to negate the effect of your Thunder King Rai-Oh on the field."

Thus, Thunder King Rai-Oh, which was about to activate its effect, immediately wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

"Then, I activate the Spell Card—Preparation of the Rites, adding Ritual of Descension and Hime-Kujaku, the Spirit Bird from my Deck to my hand." Nero inserted a Spell Card into her Duel Disk.

"Not good! Thunder King Rai-Oh was just a pawn. Her real win condition is Hime-Kujaku!" Aoshi couldn't help but exclaim as he watched.

"I activate Ritual of Descension, discard one Rai-Oh from my hand to Ritual Summon—Hime-Kujaku, the Spirit Bird!"

A woman in a peacock costume appeared on the field, gently fanning herself with a peacock fan, as if trying to blow away the Set cards on Hara Shichi's field.

"I activate Hime-Kujaku's effect, returning three cards on your Spell/Trap Zone to the Deck." Nero commanded Hime-Kujaku.

"Chaining, Mage of the Madolche Night!" Hara Shichi revealed another Set card. "This card can only be activated if there are no monsters in your Graveyard. Negate the activation of an Effect Monster's effect!"

"One more Set card?" Nero thought for a moment and inserted a card from her hand into her Duel Disk. "I activate Foolish Burial Goods, pay half my LP, and send one card from my Extra Deck to the Graveyard."

"I choose... Herald of the Rainbow Light."

"Then, I activate the effect of Herald of the Rainbow Light in my Graveyard to add one Ritual Monster from my Deck to my hand. I choose to add Chaos MAX Dragon to my hand."

"Next, I activate the Spell Card—Advanced Ritual Art, send one Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my Deck to the Graveyard, and Ritual Summon—Chaos MAX Dragon!"

The powerful Chaos MAX Dragon reappeared on the field, exuding a terrifying aura.

"Summoning two powerful monsters in one turn?"

"This... isn't this an OTK?"

"Ritual Summoning is too broken. It's summoned directly from the hand, and there's no development process, so it's impossible to interrupt."

But on the dueling field, Hara Shichi just smiled.

"It seems to be just as I thought," Hara Shichi said, staring at Nero's Hime-Kujaku and Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon on the field.

"What a shame," Ai couldn't help but say as she watched the scene. "The cards in her deck aren't very compatible with Madolche."

"It's fine, who says a duelist can only have one deck?"

Chapter 40: Who's Bullying Whom?

"I'm entering my Battle Phase! I attack Marincess Glace-Glace Mailman with Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon!"

A giant roar was unleashed towards the Mailman. Before it could even react, it was destroyed and sent to the graveyard.

"According to Glace-Glace Mailman's effect, when this card is destroyed by an opponent's card and sent to the graveyard, it activates. This card returns to the Deck. Immediately after, I activate Madolche Ticket's effect: When a 'Madolche' card on my field or in my graveyard returns to my hand or Deck by a card effect, except this card, activate this effect. Add 1 'Madolche' monster from your Deck to your hand. I choose to add Magicalized Pâtissière - Jelly Angel to my hand!"

"Follow-up plays?" Nero murmured. It was a shame all of the opponent's monsters were in attack position; otherwise, Hara Shichi wouldn't have had another turn.

"I continue to attack Madolche Puddingscess with Hime-Kujaku!"

Unlike the Mailman, the Puddingscess, though battered and bruised by Hime-Kujaku's attack, still stood firm on the field, defiantly spreading its wings!

"Because of Jelly Angel's effect, Madolche monsters Special Summoned by this card cannot be destroyed by battle!"

"Is that so? In that case, I'll end my turn." Nero's hand resources were almost depleted, so he could only end his turn here.

"Then, it's my turn. Draw." Hara Shichi paid no attention to the card he drew and instead placed the Jelly Angel he had searched last turn onto his Duel Disk. "I'll Normal Summon Jelly Angel!"

"I activate Jelly Angel's effect, Tribute this card, and Special Summon Glace-Glace Mailman from my Deck. Then, I activate Mailman's effect to add Madolche Castle from my Deck to my hand!"

"Madolche Castle, if I recall, increases the ATK and DEF of all Madolche monsters on the field by 500, right? Even so, it can't possibly surpass Hime-Kujaku, let alone defeat Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon," Nero said, pointing at Hara Shichi's two monsters on the field. "If I'm not mistaken, your next move should be to use Puddingscess to banish Jelly Angel from the graveyard, Special Summon another Mailman, and then perform an Xyz Summon, correct?"

"Huh? She figured it out?" Yukikaze on the sidelines couldn't help but exclaim.

"It doesn't matter if she figured it out. The winner of this duel has already been decided," Aoshi said.