Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 311 -

"Rafael, Valon..."

After a floor full of mobs, what awaited them on the second floor was a double boss battle.

It was no surprise that Doma would target the duelists chosen by the Legendary Dragons. However, the fact that Rafael and Valon were specifically waiting for Pharaoh and Jonouchi proved that every move they made had been anticipated.

This also meant that Kaiba’s investigation into Paradius Inc. was something Dartz had foreseen. Truly befitting of a schemer who had lived for thousands of years—calculating and cunning beyond imagination.

"Prepare your Duel Disks and show us the resolve of the duelists chosen by the Legendary Dragons!" Rafael’s sharp command reverberated through the room.

The man standing before them now seemed like an entirely different person from before—his gaze was like an eagle’s, locked on its prey: Pharaoh and Jonouchi.

Beside him, Valon’s glare was no less intense, his jealousy and anger burning as he faced Jonouchi—the man he saw as a rival for Mai’s affection.

Jonouchi, however, didn’t waver, smirking confidently. "A duel? Are you challenging me and Yugi—the unbeatable dream team? Let me tell you, when it comes to teamwork, no one can beat us!"

Hoshino silently groaned. No, you’re definitely just boasting. Let’s be honest—if you two teamed up, Yugi would be doing all the heavy lifting.

Pharaoh readied his Duel Disk, then turned to Hoshino and Kaiba. "Since Doma is targeting us, leave this to us. You three focus on finding a way to stop all this and track down Dartz."

Hoshino hesitated. "But… won’t it be dangerous for us to go up alone?"

Valon chuckled. "Don’t worry, Hoshino. There won’t be any more monsters beyond this floor."

Mokuba let out a sigh of relief. "Really? That’s great~"

Rafael sneered, adding ominously, "But don’t think it will be easy. Waiting for you upstairs are duelists far stronger than us."

Hoshino froze. Far stronger than Doma? Just who could they be?

Kaiba, unbothered by the threat, turned on his heel. "Let’s go, Hoshino, Mokuba. There’s no time to waste."

As he walked away, he left a parting remark for Atem. "Yugi, as my rival, I won’t allow you to lose to Doma a second time."

Hoshino smirked. What a tsundere. Trying to encourage him, but too proud to say it outright.

Pharaoh nodded firmly. "This time, I won’t lose. I’ll win this battle of revenge!"

"You should hurry up too, Hoshino." Jonouchi gave her a thumbs-up. "Leave it all to me! No matter what, I won’t lose to Doma, and I’ll help Yugi win this rematch!"

Hoshino’s expression softened, but her tone was less reassuring. "Jonouchi..."

"What? Touched by how cool I am?"

Hoshino shook her head. "No, I just feel like you’ve raised a really big flag. Good luck with that."

Without another word, she turned and followed Kaiba and Mokuba up the stairs.

[Duel Start!]

[Rafael & Valon VS Yugi & Jonouchi]

Rafael went first, activating his Duel Disk’s hidden compartment with a cold expression.

"Field Spell—[The Seal of Orichalcos]!"

"What?! He… he activated the Orichalcos?!" Pharaoh exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

(***)

On the Third Floor—

The deeper they ventured, the darker their surroundings became, their footsteps unconsciously quieting.

Hoshino shivered slightly. "For being the world’s richest company, they sure are stingy with the lighting. Kaiba, go find the switch."

Mokuba, clinging tightly to Hoshino’s arm in the pitch black, muttered nervously. "Hoshino, don’t joke around… This place gives me the creeps."

Kaiba shook his head. "There are no lights here. In fact, this entire building is practically empty—just a hollow shell of a company."

For a corporation supposedly holding the global economy in its grip, the revelation that Paradius Inc. was nothing more than a front was unsettling. It was clear that Doma’s financial power didn’t come from legitimate business operations but from millennia of accumulated resources.

Suddenly, Hoshino froze, pressing a finger to her lips. "Shh… Do you hear that? It sounds like crying."

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Mokuba’s grip tightened. "Don’t scare me like that, Hoshino! There’s no way—"

Before he could finish, the sound grew clearer—a faint, eerie sobbing echoing through the dark hallways.

Mokuba’s voice quivered. "Okay, maybe there is something…"

"Enough. Show yourself!" Kaiba commanded, activating his Duel Disk’s built-in light.

—Wait, what?! Duel Disks can double as flashlights? Why didn’t you mention this earlier?!

The beam illuminated a small figure crouched in a corner, dressed in a pink floral dress. Her long white hair gleamed like silver in the Duel Disk’s light. She was sobbing softly, her face hidden behind her hands.

Hoshino’s curiosity piqued. "A little girl? In a place like this? What luck!"

"Hoshino, are you crazy?! There’s no way a girl could just show up in a place like this! This is definitely not normal!"

Mokuba desperately clung to Hoshino, trying to stop her from getting any closer to the mysterious figure.

Kaiba, keeping his Duel Disk’s flashlight trained on the corner, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "This is clearly a trap meant to lure Hoshino in. It seems Doma is well aware of your weaknesses. We’ll need to be extra cautious."

Hoshino shot them both an annoyed glare. "Why do you two look so certain I’d fall for this? I know how to read a room, okay?"

Still, she had to admit—a silver-haired girl crying alone in a dark, creepy place was straight out of a horror movie.

"But are you seriously suggesting we just ignore her? That could make things even worse!" Hoshino argued, gesturing emphatically. "It’s like in a duel—if your opponent sets a Trap Card, you have to take the risk of triggering it, or you’ll never make any progress!"

Kaiba and Mokuba both winced at her metaphor. So after all that rationalizing, you’re still going to fall for it, huh?

Switching to her gentlest tone, Hoshino stepped forward. "Hey there. What are you doing all alone in such a dark place?"

The girl sniffled, her soft, bell-like voice trembling. "I… I got lost… It’s so dark outside, and there are monsters everywhere, so I ran in here..."

Hoshino’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice.

"That makes sense," she replied, her guard lowering slightly as she moved closer. "Poor girl, you must have been so scared. Let me help you find your way out, okay?"

But just as she reached out, Kaiba and Mokuba shouted in alarm.

"Hoshino, step away! She’s clearly lying!" Mokuba cried.

"Idiot! Did you not catch the obvious flaw in her story?" Kaiba snapped.

Hoshino froze, a cold sweat breaking out on her back. "What... flaw?"

Kaiba’s tone was sharp. "The first floor was crawling with monsters—far more than outside. How could a little girl have made it past all that and up to the third floor?"

"!!!"

"Heehee… Gotcha!"

The girl’s voice abruptly shifted from a pitiful sob to a chilling giggle as she turned to face Hoshino. Her small, delicate hand clamped onto Hoshino’s wrist with unnatural strength.

Hoshino tried to pull away, but her body refused to cooperate—her strength drained the moment the girl’s face came into view.

Instead of the adorable features Hoshino had expected, the girl’s face was a horrifying skull, red muscles exposed beneath patches of rotting flesh.

Hoshino’s heart skipped several beats as sheer terror paralyzed her. Her legs gave out, and she couldn’t even summon the strength to scream.

Even Kaiba, who prided himself on his skepticism, flinched at the sight. "This… this is impossible!"

But despite his disbelief, he instinctively moved forward, reaching out to grab Hoshino.

Before he could touch her, a green, translucent barrier materialized in front of him, flinging him backward with force.

Trapped inside the glowing Orichalcos, Hoshino could only stammer incoherently. "D-don’t eat me! I swear I don’t taste good! If you’re looking for a meal, that guy back there has way more meat on his bones!"

She turned to Kaiba with pleading eyes. "Sorry, boss. Please take one for the team!"

The skeletal figure laughed, her silver-bell voice eerily contrasting with her ghastly appearance. "How amusing! Such a delightful reaction for just a little teasing."

Her tone was unexpectedly mature and calm, devoid of any childlike innocence.

"Hoshino Chiyuki. You infiltrated Doma, disrupted our ceremony, and stole the Egyptian God Cards. But now… look at you."

Hoshino’s mind raced as she tried to process the situation. "Who—what—what the hell are you?!" she stammered. "And why do you know me?! Are you trying to soften me up before… eating me?"

The figure chuckled, her voice dripping with amusement. "Oh, this? Just a little disguise. But it seems to have worked wonders."

With a dramatic flourish, she removed the skeletal mask, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face.

Hoshino stared, utterly dumbfounded. The stark contrast between the grotesque mask and the angelic features beneath left her completely speechless.

"Oh, thank god! She’s a normal loli!" she blurted, collapsing to the floor in relief.

Kaiba, however, wasn’t amused. "This is no time to relax, Hoshino!" He pounded on the barrier in frustration. The green glow beneath Hoshino’s feet formed a familiar symbol—the Orichalcos Seal.

"The Orichalcos Seal?!" Hoshino gasped, her fear returning.

The girl’s lips curled into a sly smile, her ruby-red eyes gleaming with mischief. "What’s wrong, Hoshino Chiyuki? Where’s that confidence you had when you ran me over with your motorcycle?"

"Ran you over… with my motorcycle?!" Hoshino’s voice trembled as she pieced it together. Her finger shakily pointed at the silver-haired girl.

"Y-you’re… Dartz?!"

(*****)

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