Duelists Never Surrender!

"You told me you're an AI with emotions?!"

"Are you an AI, or... an electronic lifeform?" Hara Shichi couldn't help but ask.

If it was an electronic lifeform... it was highly likely the power of "Link."

"Does that matter?" aaa76 didn't answer Hara Shichi's question directly, only saying coldly, "Leave, if you still want to come back."

"Let's go, let's go," Ai, who hadn't spoken, quickly patted Hara Shichi's shoulder and urged him, "Who cares what they are? Anyone willing to let us freeload is a great person!"

"Alright then, see you tomorrow." Hara Shichi didn't hesitate.

"Heh, humans are truly greedy," aaa76 scoffed, but didn't refuse.

"Oh, right, A-Qi."

On the way back to the dorms, Ai suddenly spoke.

"What's up?" Hara Shichi looked at the light blue dress Ai was wearing and wondered if she ever got tired of wearing the same outfit every day.

"Should we go investigate that masked person?" Ai hadn't spoken at the time, but she had clearly heard Hara Shichi's conversation with Crimson Lotus.

"Uh... let's forget it, it feels too troublesome," Hara Shichi waved his hand.

"But she knows our identities, and we don't know hers. What if she reports us?" Ai worried. They had finally found a way to freeload long-term...

"She won't. If they tighten security then, she'll be the one at a disadvantage."

For the girl, replenishing Duel Power was essential.

Otherwise, she couldn't even duel.

"Sigh, inviting someone to join us failed again. I hope we can find good teammates tomorrow," Hara Shichi sighed.

"I'll say the same thing: just grab anyone who's an easy win. A 4-1 score would be fine," Ai said nonchalantly.

"Even so... what if, what if one of us loses?" Hara Shichi whispered. "Sera-senpai's Aroma is strong, but its field clearing and ATK aren't stable enough. It's easy to fall into a disadvantage when going second, let alone if you brick on monsters or traps when going first. Julie's Ace Monster, Dragon's Demise, is extremely aggressive but lacks turn-negating effects and resilience, making it easy to get rid of. Yukikaze... I'm grateful she's stayed with me this long."

Even... Hara Shichi himself couldn't guarantee a 100% win against the girl named Crimson Lotus.

Yu-Gi-Oh! was a game full of "possibilities." A single duel could have many unexpected turns, and even with maximum skill, you could still lose for various reasons.

Of course, if it were purely about skill like Go, it would lose its charm.

"That's why I think a world that prioritizes dueling above all else is truly terrible," Hara Shichi complained.

"Me too, so let's do our best, Hara Shichi."

Ai's cute little face broke into a brilliant smile. She extended her tender pink fist towards Hara Shichi and said, "Let's change this twisted world together!"

Under the bright moonlight, Hara Shichi extended his fist and gently bumped hers. "Yeah."

"Hehehe, didn't we just feel like we were in a hot-blooded shonen manga?!" Ai exclaimed excitedly.

"No," Hara Shichi said flatly.

"Huh? Why not!"

"Have you ever seen a hot-blooded protagonist's cheat ability as weak as yours? You still can't even print a standard competitive deck," Hara Shichi said, glancing at her.

Ai's small face turned red, and she argued, "Competitive decks aren't that easy to print... Haven't I already printed a lot of powerful cards..."

Then followed a string of incomprehensible words, like "insufficient energy" and "cheat abilities can't be generalized," which made Hara Shichi burst into laughter. The quiet night was filled with cheerful air.

The next afternoon, because Hara Shichi had defeated Kiritani Aki the previous day, people eager to participate in the "assessment" flocked to them.

However... none of them had yet earned the approval of Yukikaze or Julie.

Speaking of which... has Yukikaze become this strong already?

Hara Shichi couldn't help but look at Yukikaze, who was currently dueling. Going first, she had the powerful counter trap Hay Fever. Going second, she had Six Flowers Blizzard paired with her archetype's various tribute effects to clear the field. Her boss monster, Flower Princess Hellebore, could be easily summoned, and her starter, Rosemary of the Six Flowers, repeatedly jumped from the graveyard to generate resources... hiss.

Hara Shichi couldn't help but gasp. Terrifying, truly terrifying. Yukikaze, I'm sorry, I underestimated you last night. You are very strong now!

"Next," Yukikaze called out, having easily defeated her opponent with Hellebore.

Immediately after, she saw a petite figure. It was a "porcelain doll" that seemed out of place among the surrounding crowd. She looked so fragile, as if she might shatter if handled carelessly. Yet, her cold, chilling eyes seemed to tell others that if they broke her, they would also be cut by her sharp fragments.

"Ni... Nero-classmate, what are you doing here?" Yukikaze asked blankly.

"Didn't you say we have to pass the 'assessment' to join you?"

A black Duel Disk appeared on Nero's slender, weak arm. Nero held up the Duel Disk and said, "So, I'm here to duel."

Chapter Ninety-Four: The Second Encounter, Yukikaze vs. Nero!

"Huh? I remember you're also from the Crimson Lotus Society, right? You just embarrassed yourself yesterday, and now you're here to take another loss?"

Sera covered her mouth and sneered, "Why does that old hag Crimson Lotus only send her subordinates to cause trouble? Why is she hiding in the club room herself? I advise you to go back and tell her for me: stop hiding. I, Sera, am waiting for her to duel here in Training Room Seven today. If she doesn't come, she's a coward!"

"Can you beat Crimson Lotus?" Hara Shichi asked curiously.

"Easily," Sera said, clapping her small hands. She lifted her chin high, revealing her slender, fair neck to Hara Shichi.

Nero glanced at Sera indifferently. Her rosy, tender lips parted slightly, revealing clear, porcelain-white teeth. "Last name?"

"Sera Cordola," Sera replied, still holding her head high.

"Mm, I am Nero.Arisa," Nero nodded, then said earnestly to Sera, "The junior high school is in the eastern part of the academy. You don't need to thank me."

Sera's fair face instantly darkened, and she said in a grim voice, "Oh, very well, you've successfully angered me, Hara Shichi-kun. Don't stop me, I'm determined to make her fall into a bottomless abyss of despair today!"

"Senpai, I'm not stopping you." Hara Shichi took a step back expressionlessly, distancing himself from the feigning Sera.

That's right, although Sera was verbally aggressive, she was actually standing still, showing no intention of moving.

"Um... are you really here for the assessment, or are you just here to cause trouble?" Yukikaze, who had been silent until now, asked hesitantly.

"If you're here to cause trouble, then get lost," someone shouted from behind Nero. "Don't waste my time, there are many people waiting."

"Yeah, why is someone from the Crimson Lotus Society joining in the fun? Even Kiritani Aki-senpai slunk away yesterday."

"There's no rule saying Crimson Lotus Society members can't participate, right?" Nero looked at Yukikaze and said.

"There really isn't." Yukikaze

"Then can we start?" Nero placed her slender fingers on her Deck, seemingly ready to draw five cards.

"Ah... yes, we can start." Yukikaze hurriedly raised her Duel Disk.

"Then... Duel."

"Duel!"

"Beep!"

As soon as the words fell, Yukikaze's Duel Disk lit up.

Yukikaze unconsciously bit her lower lip. Am I the one choosing who goes first again this time?

So, should I choose to go second?

Or... first?

In an instant, Yukikaze fell into hesitation.

"Hey, Yukikaze seems a bit off," Sera whispered into Hara Shichi's ear, standing on tiptoe.

Yes, even on tiptoe, she couldn't reach Hara Shichi's ear.

"Yukikaze dueled Nero once before," Hara Shichi said, bending down slightly.

"Hmm... judging by the situation, she probably lost," Sera mused. "I should have gone first if I'd known."

"Leave it to Yukikaze," Hara Shichi said, looking at the girl's elegant, standing figure. "She's not the same as before."

While they were discussing in hushed tones, Yukikaze had already made up her mind.

"I choose... to go first!" Yukikaze declared, drawing five cards from her Deck.

"Are you serious?" Nero's indifferent face showed a slight change. It was understandable to choose to go first last time when she didn't know her Deck, but why choose first this time when she knew her Soul Bird excelled at finishing the game on the second turn?

"Yes, I choose to go first," Yukikaze said, unhesitatingly placing Rosemary of the Six Flowers from her hand onto her Duel Disk. "I normally summon Rosemary of the Six Flowers, and activate its effect to add Flower Princess Rose from my Deck to my hand."

Although she didn't know why she could always appear at the start of the duel, Rosemary of the Six Flowers appeared on the field with excitement, her cute little face beaming with a pure, flawless smile.

"Next, I activate the effect of Flower Princess Snowdrop in my hand, Tributing Rosemary of the Six Flowers on the field to Special Summon Rose and Snowdrop from my hand simultaneously onto the field!" Yukikaze mercilessly sent the newly summoned Rosemary of the Six Flowers to the Graveyard and placed two monsters from her hand onto the Duel Disk.

"Activate Rose's effect, add one 'Six Flowers' Spell/Trap Card from my Deck to my hand. I add Six Flowers Blizzard to my hand."

"Six Flowers Blizzard... Unlike before, when she focused on offense and defense, Yukikaze is already preparing for the next turn?" Ai, who had appeared at some point, watched the duel.

"The key is whether she can even have a next turn," Hara Shichi knew clearly that Yukikaze's build didn't have cards like Threatening Roar or Messenger of Peace that forcibly end the attack. Facing Soul Bird's triple bounce would be very dangerous.

"I activate the Continuous Spell Card—Six Flowers Blizzard. Then, I set two cards and end my turn!"

"My turn, draw."

Nero glanced at the cards in her hand and placed one on her Duel Disk: "I normally summon Hand of the Six Samurai."

A ferocious-looking monster covered in arms appeared on the field, letting out a low roar, a stark contrast to the two beautiful young girls on Yukikaze's field.

However, for Duelists, the appearance of monsters is often unimportant; good effects and ATK/DEF are what give monsters value.

"I activate Hand of the Six Samurai's effect, to add one Ritual Monster or Ritual Spell Card from my Deck to my hand."

"No way! I chain the Trap Card—Breakthrough Skill! Negate your Hand of the Six Samurai!" Yukikaze revealed her face-down card, negating Nero's Hand of the Six Samurai.

Looking at the dejected Hand of the Six Samurai on the field, Nero's long eyelashes trembled slightly. This scene reminded her of their previous duel; only last time it was Peacock that was negated, and this time it was Hand of the Six Samurai.

"I continue by activating the Spell Card—Ritual of Descension," Nero said, inserting a Spell Card from her hand into her Duel Disk. "Until the total Levels of monsters Tributed become equal to or greater than the Level of the Ritual Monster to be Ritual Summoned, Tribute monsters from your hand and/or field..."

"Chain!"

Before Nero could finish, Yukikaze slammed down her last face-down card. "I activate the Counter Trap Card—Hay Fever!"

"Tribute Snowdrop on my field, negate the activation of Ritual of Descension!"

The Ritual of Descension, which was emitting a mysterious light, was struck by a red beam and instantly lost its luster.

"Yukikaze has good talent," Sera couldn't help but say. "She's mastered using Counter Traps so quickly?"

"No, she's just holding on," Hara Shichi said, pointing to Yukikaze's trembling legs. "And if it's just this... I'm afraid it won't stop Nero."

"Next, I activate the effect of Six Flowers Blizzard. It can be activated when a 'Six Flowers' monster on your field is Tributed. Your opponent must Tribute 1 monster on their field!" Yukikaze continued her assault.

"Is that all?" Nero sadly sent the only monster on her Duel Disk—Hand of the Six Samurai—to the Graveyard.

"What do you mean?" Yukikaze couldn't help but frown.

Nero didn't answer Yukikaze, instead, with a blank expression, she gently inserted a card from her hand into her Duel Disk.

"I activate the Spell Card—Preparation of the Rites."

Yukikaze's small face instantly lost all color.

Chapter 95: I Can't Do That Kind of Thing!

Was... was she tricked?!

Were all her previous actions just to ensure the successful activation of "Preparation of the Rites" in her hand?!

No, the activation of Hay Fever was fine. It was Breakthrough Skill. Breakthrough Skill should have been saved for Peacock to prevent being OTK'd...

Yukikaze's breathing quickened involuntarily. Her heart felt as if it were squeezed by a large hand, stopping abruptly before pounding wildly.

Should I have gone second after all?

There was no advantage to going first... why did I choose to go first?

"Because you're unwilling to accept it." A clear, cool voice rang out. Yukikaze snapped her head around, finding a small girl with silver hair, dressed in a light blue dress, floating in mid-air like a ghost. She was looking down at her with deep, profound eyes.

"Who... who are you?" Yukikaze asked nervously.

"Who I am isn't important. What's important is that you're currently bound by your own 'pride,' which has led to this situation," Ai said, crossing her arms.

"'Pride' and all that..." Yukikaze started to retort, but her throat felt as if it were choked with a pebble, rendering her unable to speak.

Seeing Yukikaze remain silent, Ai continued, "You've been bothered by your previous loss to Nero.Arisa, which is why you chose to go first this time, wanting to prove yourself again."