Duelists Never Surrender!

I wish my classmate Hara Shichi were here.

Yukikaze shook her head, mocking herself. Really, Hara Shichi must be struggling just like me right now. I can't be this weak. There are Duel Spirits behind me who need saving.

"Next, because there's a 'Melodious' monster on the field, I Special Summon Melodious Aria from my hand in Defense Position. Due to Melodious Aria's effect, the ATK and DEF of my Fairy monsters increase by 500!"

A girl with deep blue eyes like the vast sea appeared on the field, wearing a gorgeous dress. Unlike Aria, this girl had a more slender and mature figure, and a calmer expression, like a reliable older sister.

Melodious Aria: ATK: 1600 → 2100. DEF: 1200 → 1700.

Melodious Sonata: ATK: 1200 → 1700. DEF: 1000 → 1500.

"I end my turn like this. It's your turn."

"Eh?!" Yukikaze couldn't help but exclaim.

The turn ended just like that?

Could it be that this female duelist in front of me isn't as strong as I imagined?

Compared to Senior Julie's first-turn Special Summon of Dragon's Demise, or classmate Nero casually Special Summoning Soul Bird, and Senior Sera's terrifying trap cards set beforehand, the two monsters in front of me, with their ATK barely exceeding two thousand, were hardly a threat.

Moreover, both those monsters were in Defense Position, even though their ATK was higher?

"Hey, it's your turn. Why are you still dawdling? Or... are you so scared by this Dark Duel that you're frozen stiff and can't even draw a card?" the woman taunted.

"Um... are your arms okay?"

The scarred Duel Spirits behind her asked with concern. Though she didn't want to admit it, she clearly saw Yukikaze take a whip lash in their place.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Yukikaze smiled at the Duel Spirits behind her.

Then, Yukikaze turned her head, her hand reaching for her deck, her delicate face hardening. "Now, my turn! Draw!"

That's right, I'm not the same person I used to be. I've dueled many people and become stronger than before, so—it'll be fine!

Yukikaze glanced at her hand and made a decision instantly. "I enter my Main Phase and Normal Summon Rosemary of the Six Flowers!"

The small, pinkish-blue girl once again appeared on the dueling field, stepping on golden stamens.

"I activate Rosemary of the Six Flowers' effect, adding Flower Princess Snowdrop from my deck to my hand!"

"Next, I activate Flower Princess Snowdrop's effect, Tributing Rosemary of the Six Flowers on the field to Special Summon this card and one card from my hand!"

"Bring me victory! Flower Princess Hellebore! Flower Princess Snowdrop!"

As the blue-haired young girl left the field, the girls appeared on the field, holding crystal-clear parasols that exuded a chilling aura like ice crystals, adorned with ruffles. They looked like ladies dressed for a grand outing.

"Pfft, should I say what I'd expect from a young duelist?" the woman chuckled, covering her mouth. "You even said 'bring me victory.' That's hilarious. If you have the guts, then come at me."

"I'll show you!" Yukikaze inserted a card from her hand into her Duel Disk. "I activate the Spell Card—Marincess World!"

"All WATER monsters on the field gain 500 ATK and lose 400 DEF!"

"Therefore, the ATK of Hellebore and Snowdrop on my field will become 3100 and 1700 respectively!"

"Oh, that's truly impressive. You're so amazing," the woman said, though her dark green eyes held a hint of disdain.

Yukikaze frowned. This was the first time she had encountered such a sarcastic duelist in a duel, and she didn't know how to retort. So, she simply shouted, "I enter the Battle Phase and attack Melodious Aria with Hellebore!"

Hellebore lightly swung its hand, and a beam of white light shot towards Aria on the opposite field. However, to Yukikaze's surprise, Aria was not only unharmed but also smiled faintly at her from her spot.

"Wh-what's going on?" Yukikaze asked, confused. "Hellebore's ATK should be higher than Aria's DEF."

"So what if its ATK is higher?" the woman rolled her eyes. "As long as Aria is on the field, my Melodious monsters cannot be targeted by effects or destroyed by battle. No matter how high your ATK is, it's useless."

"Snowdrop attacks Melodious Sonata," Yukikaze tried again, unwilling to give up.

However, just like Aria, Sonata stood unharmed on the field.

"It's useless, it's useless," the woman laughed. "Using brute ATK power as a dueling strategy is something only third-rate duelists like you would do. And to even use a trash Field Spell like Marincess World... you're truly 'cute'."

"Marincess World isn't a trash card!" Yukikaze retorted, her face flushing red.

"Whatever you say. With such a low-level dueling mindset, your dueling career will never go anywhere. You might as well be finished here by me," the woman said calmly.

"Calm down! Don't let this bad person provoke you!" the Duel Spirits behind her quickly warned.

Yukikaze frowned slightly and continued her play. "I enter Main Phase 2, Set one card, and end my turn."

There's no other way. Even though I'm unwilling, I truly can't break through her defenses right now.

"In that case, it's my turn," the woman said, quickly drawing a card from her deck. "My turn! Draw!"

"Hmm? Looks like my luck is pretty good," the woman said, inserting the newly drawn card into her Duel Disk. "I enter my Main Phase and activate the Spell Card—Fusion!"

"No way!"

Yukikaze activated the Set card she had prepared. "I activate the Counter Trap Card—Hay Fever! I Tribute Flower Princess Snowdrop on my field to negate and destroy your Fusion!"

Chapter Seventy-Eight: You Call Yourself a Duelist, Blocking My Path?

"Bang!"

As Hay Fever was successfully activated, Yukikaze suddenly felt a sharp cramp in her internal organs, followed by a knife-like pain spreading throughout her body from the inside out, making her frown involuntarily.

"Heh, I didn't expect you to be unable to use even a Counter Trap skillfully. A duelist of your level dares to try and ruin my plans?" The woman, being an experienced duelist, immediately saw that Yukikaze was suffering backlash from the trap card due to her insufficient dueling level.

"That's right, even so, I will stop you." Yukikaze knew very well that she wasn't strong.

But weakness is no excuse to run away.

On the contrary, the weaker you are, the less you can afford to compromise with yourself!

"You think just because you negated my 'Fusion,' I can't summon Fusion Monsters?" the woman sneered. "Naive, too naive. Fusion Monsters don't always have to be summoned with 'Fusion'!"

As she spoke, the woman unhesitatingly sent two monster cards from her Duel Disk to the Graveyard, then slammed a monster card from her hand onto the Duel Disk: "I Tribute Melodious Aria and Melodious Sonata on the field to Tribute Summon – Melodious Princess Françoise!"

A girl with curly green hair, dressed in a purple gown, appeared elegantly on the field. With her slender, fair fingers, she skillfully played a black and white keyboard, producing beautiful melodies.

"You so easily discarded your carefully constructed defense?!" Yukikaze was still thinking about how to break through the opponent's defensive lockdown, never expecting that in just one turn, the opponent would dismantle the high wall she had personally built.

"Because I don't need defense anymore," the woman said, raising her hand to activate the effect of the monster on the field. "I activate Françoise's effect. Once per turn, I can add one Fairy monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I add Sonata to my hand, then activate Sonata's effect to Special Summon it back to the field!"

"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell Card – Super Polymerization! I activate Super Polymerization's effect by sending this card to the Graveyard, and sending the Fusion Material listed on a 'Melodious' Fusion Monster Card from my field to the Graveyard to activate it, and Fusion Summon that Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck!"

"You're using a Continuous Spell Card instead of 'Fusion'?!" Yukikaze was shocked again. This was the first time she had ever seen a Fusion Summon performed without the Spell Card "Fusion."

"There are plenty of cards that can substitute for 'Fusion'! But too bad you'll never see them again!" the woman sneered. "I send the two monsters on the field to the Graveyard and Fusion Summon – Melodious Diva Tiara!"

Françoise, who had only recently appeared, stopped playing and sadly exited the field. In her place, a little girl with short, pink-blue hair, wearing a blue dress, appeared in mid-air. Pink ribbons swirled around her, and she descended slowly from the sky like a mythical fairy, standing on a delicate lotus platform.

"Attack 1000, Defense 2000... A monster summoned with so many resources can't be that simple. She must have a powerful effect!" Yukikaze looked at the harmless-looking little loli on the opponent's field, her internal alarm bells ringing loudly.

"I enter the Battle Phase," the woman declared with a wave of her hand. Her crimson eyes dilated like a predator spotting prey. "I attack Rikka Princess with Flower Diva!"

"Just as I thought!" Yukikaze muttered. The attack difference between Hellebore and Flower Diva was 3100. The opponent attacking like this must have some special effect. Was it an ATK boost or...

"Bang!"

A strong impact accompanied by a loud noise struck. Fortunately, Yukikaze was prepared and raised her arms to protect herself, but even so, she was pushed back a few steps by the shock.

"Cough cough... What happened?" Yukikaze looked confusedly at the Hellebore, which had shattered into pieces and entered the Graveyard. Her own LP, which had been 4000, had inexplicably dropped to 2400.

"Flower Diva's effect. After damage calculation, when this card battles with a monster that was Special Summoned. Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the difference between that opponent's monster's original ATK and this card's ATK, and destroy that opponent's monster." The woman raised her head proudly. "At the same time, Flower Diva cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, and any battle damage you would take from this card's battles becomes 0!"

"Cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, battle damage becomes 0, can destroy opponent's monsters and inflict effect damage..." Yukikaze's face turned pale, and she stood frozen.

Although she had mentally prepared herself, this monster... was too strong. Among everyone she knew, only Hara Shichi's Tiramisu of the Tiara could defeat this monster.

Seeing Yukikaze's pale face, the woman smiled with satisfaction. "I'll set one card and end my turn. It's your move."

"Wait, at the end of your turn, I activate the effect of Rosemary of the Six Flowers from my Graveyard. Because I have a Plant monster on my field, this card is Special Summoned." Yukikaze quickly snapped out of her daze and placed Rosemary of the Six Flowers from her Graveyard back onto the field.

"As you wish. It's just a futile effort anyway," the woman said indifferently.

"Then, it's my turn. Draw!"

Yukikaze looked expectantly at the card she had just drawn, hoping it would offer some help in the current situation. However, what appeared in her hand was the Spell Card – Dark Hole.

As one of the few powerful removal cards in Yukikaze's Deck, it seemed utterly powerless against Flower Diva.

"If only... if only it had come earlier..." Yukikaze sighed in disappointment, but quickly shook her head to rally herself.

Complaining was meaningless.

The most important thing now was to do what she could.

"I activate Rosemary of the Six Flowers' effect, adding Flower Princess Snowdrop from my Deck to my hand." Yukikaze added the second Snowdrop from her Deck to her hand, then sent Rosemary of the Six Flowers to the Graveyard once more. "I Tribute Rosemary of the Six Flowers on the field to Special Summon Flower Princess and Flower Princess Cyclamen from my hand in Defense Position."

"Then, I change Flower Princess Snowdrop on the field to Defense Position. End turn."

"Hahaha... No... you're too funny," the woman said, clutching her stomach as she looked at the three monsters in Defense Position on Yukikaze's field. "Are you really trying to tell me you think Defense Position can stop me?"

"I even explained Flower Diva's effect clearly to you, and you still don't understand something this simple?"

The woman placed her hand on her Duel Disk, her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips. "Let me tell you, in front of Flower Diva, both offense and defense are useless!"

"My turn, draw!"

Chapter 79: A One-Card Comeback Is Impossible.

"Heh, it seems my luck is exceptionally good today," the woman said, looking at the card she drew, her smile widening.

"I enter my Main Phase and Normal Summon Crystal Rose."

A red rose, like crystal, exuded a faint chill as it appeared on the field.

"Isn't it 'Melodious'?" Yukikaze asked curiously. For archetypes, it was best to include cards of the same archetype, as they often synergized to produce powerful effects.

"While it's not 'Melodious' now, it will be soon," the woman snapped her fingers, then, like a magician, impatiently revealed the answer. "I activate Crystal Rose's effect. Once per turn, I can send one 'Melodious' monster from my Deck to the Graveyard. Until the end of this turn, this card is treated as having the same name as the monster sent to the Graveyard. I send Melodious Aria Tangtang from my Deck to the Graveyard."

"But this just makes it 'Melodious,' right? What's the point?" Even though it was a life-or-death duel, and she knew her opponent was an enemy to the death, Yukikaze couldn't help but ask.

"You don't even know 'deck thinning' and this simple concept?" the woman said, then flipped over her Set card.

"I activate the Trap Card – Reinforcement of the Army, and Special Summon Melodious Aria from my Graveyard in Defense Position!"

The black-haired girl, who had just entered the Graveyard, immediately rose from her grave and appeared on the dueling field.

"Then, I activate Melodious Aria Tangtang's effect. If you control a 'Melodious' monster, this card can be activated when it is successfully Special Summoned. Add 1 'Fusion' from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand." The woman said, taking the Spell Card "Fusion" from her Graveyard back into her hand.

"Planning to Fusion Summon again?" Yukikaze frowned slightly. But this time, she didn't have Hay Fever face-down, so she could only watch helplessly as her opponent unfolded their strategy.

"I activate the Spell Card – 'Fusion'!" the woman declared, slamming Fusion into her Duel Disk. "I send the two Melodious Aria Tangtang on the field to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon – Melodious Maestro Schubert!"

Another Fusion Monster appeared on the woman's field. Unlike the fairy-like Flower Diva, Schubert was more like an elegant noblewoman, wearing a fluffy red gown and black high heels. Her flame-like long hair cascaded behind her, and the short sword in her hand added a touch of heroism.

"It's not over yet. I activate Melodious Maestro Schubert's effect! By banishing Rosemary of the Six Flowers and Rikka Princess from your Graveyard, and Super Polymerization from my Graveyard, Schubert gains 600 ATK!"

"Is your goal to cut off my sustain?" Yukikaze reluctantly sent Rosemary of the Six Flowers and Hellebore to the banished zone. However, before she could finish, another impact struck her out of nowhere.

"When Melodious Aria Tangtang is sent to the Graveyard as Fusion Material, you can target 1 'Melodious' monster you control; it loses 500 ATK, and if you do, inflict 500 damage to your opponent. I choose to lower Flower Diva's ATK by 500!"

"Ugh!"

Yukikaze: 2400 → 1900 LP

Although it was only a 500 LP hit, it almost sent Yukikaze sprawling to the ground. However, the woman wasn't done with her yet and continued her assault: "I enter my Battle Phase! Flower Diva attacks Snow Lotus! Schubert attacks Primrose of the Six Flowers!"

"Thump!" Yukikaze, who hadn't even managed to regain her footing, was violently blown away and made intimate contact with the ground. Her LP dropped from 1900 to 1200.

"Both offense and defense are useless... Is that what you meant?" Yukikaze gently wiped the dust from her cheek with her hand, watching Snow Lotus dissipate into the air on the field, and slowly got back to her feet.

"What good does it do you to understand now? The moment you summon a monster, it'll be destroyed by my Flower Diva's effect and you'll take effect damage. If you don't summon a monster, you'll face Schubert's direct attack!"

"I'll end my turn like this. It's your turn now, young duelist~" the woman taunted, seeing no more suspense in this duel.

My turn already?