Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!
Chapter 384 - 384

"Oh, by the way, Akasha, did you bring any money? I heard the entry fee for the tournament is quite high... I have no idea how much these competitions for the rich actually charge."

As part of the arrangement for assisting Hoshino with this mission, Pegasus and Industrial Illusions had thoughtfully provided plane tickets, accommodations, and even covered potential expenses for food and entertainment.

However, neither side had anticipated an additional entry fee for the tournament.

Akasha blinked her large, water-blue eyes with an innocent expression and said, "I'm just a cute little girl you see everywhere—how could I possibly have something as dirty as money?"

So it turned out this little girl hadn't brought a single penny with her. She had fully intended to mooch off Hoshino from the start.

"This is troublesome... I guess I'll have to contact Pegasus."

Scratching her head, Hoshino picked up the hotel room phone. Typically, these phones connected to the front desk first, where the operator would then transfer the call.

"Hello~ This is Room 4396. Please connect me to Maximillion Pegasus. Tell him Hoshino Chiyuki wants to discuss something with him."

From the other end of the line, the receptionist responded in a sweet yet slightly surprised voice, "Oh... okay~ Please hold for a moment. I'll transfer your call right away!"

Since Pegasus had arranged this hotel, it was highly likely that Industrial Illusions had a business partnership with it—or perhaps even outright owned it.

But someone like Hoshino, who had just checked in and was already calling Pegasus by name, was a rare case. The only people who did this were those with status and influence. Naturally, the staff didn't dare delay.

"Hello, this is Pegasus speaking."

After about two minutes, the familiar voice of Pegasus came through. The fact that a big shot like him had been reached so quickly showed how efficient they were.

Since he was being efficient, Hoshino didn't waste time either. She got straight to the point.

"It's me—send money!"

"Oh~? Is this some kind of new scam?"

.

..

...

"I see, so you need the entry fee to participate in the underground dueling. I completely understand, Hoshino-girl~"

Hoshino added, "I don't know the exact amount, but I've heard the underground duel starts after midnight. It's only 3 PM now, so we still have plenty of time."

Her implication was clear—Pegasus, however much you can prepare, just send it all.

"Then let me confirm something first. You're not planning to take the money and just run off, are you?"

"?!"

Wait… that was an option?!

If she ran off with the money, she wouldn't have to bother with the dangerous underground duels. Nor would she have to wait for Kaiba Corp's stock to gradually rise.

It was such a straightforward solution! If Pegasus hadn't mentioned it, Hoshino wouldn't even have thought of it.

"Oh-hoho~ I see you're tempted. But I trust you. As for the entry fee, I'll transfer it to your temporary account—it'll just take a little time."

"No problem. I'm not in a rush. If I can't make it today, I'll just register tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll go scout out that place called 'Valkyrie Mansion.' If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up now~"

After putting down the phone, Hoshino couldn't help but marvel at how easy it was to ask for money. After all, Pegasus, like Kaiba, was someone who never lacked money. But unlike Kaiba, Pegasus was much easier to talk to.

Akasha clenched her tiny fists with a mischievous grin. "That went smoothly, Hoshino-nee! We're totally gonna milk him for sure!"

Why did that sound like a phone scam?

Throwing her cloak back on, Hoshino signaled to Akasha. "Alright, time to get to work. Let's go see what San Francisco's dueling scene is like~"

(***)

Valkyrie Hall

A massive signboard displayed several armored warrior women. Based on the hall's name and description, it was clearly themed after the legendary Valkyries from Norse mythology.

Though they all wore feathered headpieces and wielded glowing spears with small shields, their designs were noticeably different from those of Chaldea's Valkyries. Since this place leaned more toward realism, it naturally lacked some of the cuteness found in anime-style designs.

Standing at the entrance, Hoshino glanced inside at the bustling crowd and couldn't help but remark,

"I expected it to be just a front for the underground duels, but this place is actually way livelier than I thought. Looks like Duel Monsters' appeal is universal, no matter where you go!"

"It looks so fun! Duel Monsters really does bring people happiness, Hoshino-nee~"

Akasha's eyes sparkled with excitement as she took in the lively dueling atmosphere.

However, unlike the enthusiastic Akasha, Hoshino wasn't here just to have fun. If Valkyrie Hall truly served as a front for the underground death duels, then there had to be some inconsistencies—something out of place.

With that in mind, Hoshino carefully observed the hall, looking for any clues that might connect it to the underground duels.

"—Don't duel him! Everyone says he's cursed!"

Though it likely had nothing to do with the underground duels, Hoshino still noticed an unsettling scene.

A group of kids, all around Akasha's age, had gathered together. At an age when they should have been innocent and carefree, they were instead engaging in something Hoshino hated.

"Bullying, huh?"

It was clear that the gathered kids were collectively isolating a boy of similar age. And for some reason, his jellyfish-like hairstyle caught Hoshino's attention.

"Anyone who duels Jaden and wins ends up falling into a coma!"

"Yeah! My brother beat Jaden last week, and he still hasn't woken up! He must have cursed him!"

Faced with the accusations, the boy—Jaden Yuki—looked completely flustered, his eyes growing more and more dejected.

"I didn't curse anyone… I just wanted to share my new Hero deck with you all… If they're truly heroes, then they'll prove my innocence..."

Taking out his carefully assembled deck from his pocket, Jaden reaffirmed himself once more.

"Huh? Are those the Hero cards that came bundled with the latest Duel King of Heroic Spirits card pack that was just released a few days ago?"

As expected of children, one moment they looked at him like an outcast, and the next, they were completely captivated by the new and exciting cards Jaden had pulled out.

"So Pegasus really went ahead and made that so-called Duel King of Heroic Spirits card pack, huh? And he even put my face on the box for public sale... That's so embarrassing."

Beneath her metallic visor, Hoshino's eyes were filled with exasperation.

The newly released Duel King of Heroic Spirits card pack—just from the name alone, it was obvious Pegasus was using Hoshino as a selling point. The pack even contained reprints of some of Hoshino's famous Heroic Spirit cards.

So, what were these "Reprinted Heroic Spirit Cards"? They were cards personally illustrated by Pegasus, officially recognized by the card game, and labeled with the exclusive Heroic Spirit archetype—but without the presence of the card spirits.

As for their effects? They were just slightly stronger than blank cards. While the beautifully illustrated cards were great for collecting, they were practically useless in actual duels.

The main purpose of Industrial Illusions Inc. releasing this card pack was, of course, to make money. But another benefit was allowing these reprinted Heroic Spirit cards to circulate in the market. This way, if Hoshino used Heroic Spirit cards in the underground duel arena, she wouldn't immediately expose her identity.

The true hidden value of the Duel King of Heroic Spirits pack, however, lay in the Hero cards that most people considered mere extras alongside the Heroic Spirit cards.

These were brand-new "Elemental Hero" cards, created entirely from scratch by Pegasus, inspired by watching Hoshino duel using Magical Girl Illya.

Jaden gently stroked his beloved deck and smiled warmly, even though he was being shunned by his peers. "Well, I'm a fan of the Duel King, so I spent all my saved-up money on these card packs~"

"Akasha also bought the card pack with Hoshino-nee's cards! I even borrowed money from Rowick!" Akasha quickly grabbed Hoshino's cloak and emphasized her point, as if trying to prove something.

The leader of the kids tilted his head in confusion. "But if you're a fan of the Duel King, why didn't you build a Heroic Spirit deck like her? Why go for the extra Hero cards instead?"

Hoshino chuckled inwardly. Naive brats... Did they really think they could build a proper Heroic Spirit deck with just those few reprints?

But this kid, Jaden, was different. Despite his young age, he had already recognized the potential Pegasus had poured into the Hero cards. Hoshino didn't know how skilled he was in dueling, but just that choice alone proved he had talent.

Jaden grinned proudly and rubbed his nose. "Because my dream is to become the strongest duelist—one who surpasses the Duel King! If I just used the same Heroic Spirits as the Duel King, the best I could ever be is the second Duel King. So instead, I'll use my own heroes to surpass her!"

His passionate declaration drew a round of applause from the surrounding kids.

"So, will anyone duel me? Please, my Hero deck is really strong!"

Even so, when Jaden brought up a duel again, the other children took a nervous step back. Their reaction was so genuine that the so-called "curse" rumors seemed eerily convincing.

"If none of you want to duel him, how about I take him on?"

Driven by a mix of emotions, Hoshino stepped forward. "What do you think, Jaden-kun~?"

Maybe it was sympathy for his situation, or maybe it was because he claimed to be her fan. Either way, Hoshino felt compelled to help him dispel the "curse" rumors.

"You... Who are you?"

The sudden appearance of a cloaked, visor-wearing stranger smiling at him was so suspicious that even the kids who had feared Jaden now seemed more afraid of Hoshino.

"Me? I'm just a passing duelist... fueled by pure interest!"

Dramatically flipping her cloak, Hoshino struck a pose she thought looked cool—something to put the kids at ease.

"Whoa, it's a weirdo..."

Instead, their fear only deepened. Even Jaden took two steps back along with them.

"Tch, what a bunch of brats!" Hoshino clicked her tongue in annoyance before turning back to Jaden, who still looked hesitant.

"I heard you say you want to use heroes to surpass the Heroic Spirits. Well, it just so happens I have a Heroic Spirit deck. Why don't we duel and see how you match up?"

The leader of the kids tried to warn her. "If you duel Jaden, you'll get curse—"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard it all already!"

Hoshino scoffed and pointed at Jaden, whose expression darkened at the mention of the "curse."

"If beating Jaden in a duel really means I'll fall into a coma, then as long as I win and don't collapse, wouldn't that prove the curse doesn't exist?"

Helping Jaden clear his name was that simple.

And there was no way Hoshino would lose to a mere kid. The idea of a curse? Laughable.

"So, what do you say, Jaden-kun? Want to duel me?"

At first, Jaden seemed a little confused about why this "interest-fueled duelist" was so eager to duel him. But when he heard that she was using a Heroic Spirit deck, something inside him lit up.

"Alright, weird person, I'll accept your challenge! My heroes will face off against your Heroic Spirits!"

If he truly wanted to surpass the Duel King, then he couldn't back down here—especially when his opponent was also using Heroic Spirits.

Steeling himself, Jaden nodded firmly and stepped onto one of the dueling platforms inside the venue.

"Are you sure about this, Hoshino-nee?"

Akasha, a bit worried about the sudden duel, whispered in Hoshino's ear. "If you duel here, won't you expose your identity?"

"Relax, Akasha!"

Giving her a confident "everything's fine" gesture, Hoshino smirked.

"As long as I use cards that no one has ever seen before, there's no way I'll get exposed~"

(*****)

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