Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!

"Because of my Continuous Trap Card [Spirit Barrier], I take no battle damage as long as I control a monster!" Dartz declared.

A golden barrier layered itself over the shimmering Orichalcos Seal, nullifying the devastating impact of Okita's triple strikes.

"Damn it! Hiding behind such a cowardly shield... Give back the blood that I—cough!" Okita's frustrated outburst was cut short as she doubled over, coughing.

Dartz's use of Spirit Barrier had disrupted Hoshino's plan. Without the ability to deal damage through battle, even Okita's multiple attacks couldn't achieve a decisive triple-KO.

Hoshino adjusted her strategy. "Then, I'll activate the Graveyard effect of [Heroic Spirit – Marie Antoinette]. When she's sent to the Graveyard, I can add one [Heroic Spirit] monster from my Deck to my hand. At the same time, I'll remove the three [Weakness] counters from Okita and add the Quick-Play Spell [Lightless, Three-Stage Thrust] to my hand!"

[Weakness 3 → 0]

[Okita ATK 2200 → 2500]

Okita's strength visibly returned. "Huh? My power's back? I almost forgot I even had this effect—it's been so long since I last fought!"

Hoshino set two cards to her back row and concluded, "I'll end my turn."

[Hoshino's Status: 1 Card in Hand | 3 Set Cards]

Dartz grinned and activated his Trap. "At the end of your turn, my Continuous Trap [Human-Wave Tactics] activates! Since one of my Level 2 or lower Normal Monsters was destroyed this turn, I can Special Summon [Mokey Mokey Adrift] from my Deck in Attack Position!"

A familiar, tofu-like creature materialized on Dartz's field, its comical expression as unreadable as ever.

[Mokey Mokey ★ [LIGHT] [Fairy] [ATK: 300 → 800 / DEF: 100 → 600]

Okita eyed the creature, tilting her head. "What kind of monster is this? Would it taste good grilled?" she muttered, wiping the last traces of blood from her lips. To her, the Mokey Mokey looked more like a mochi than a Duel Monster.

Dartz smirked and flipped over a card. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Inferno Reckless Summon]! Since I Special Summoned a monster with 1500 or less ATK, I can summon all remaining copies from my Deck or Graveyard!"

Two more Mokey Mokey appeared alongside the first, their identical blocky forms aligning perfectly like a game of Tetris.

[Mokey Mokey ATK 800] ×3

"And thanks to Inferno Reckless Summon, you can also Special Summon any additional copies of a monster already on your field."

Okita perked up. "That means Master can summon two more copies of me? These three little blocks won't stand a chance against three invincible ace!"

Hoshino sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "That would be great... except I only have one in my deck."

A stunned silence followed. Even Mokuba and Kaiba were taken aback.

Kaiba frowned. "Hoshino, you don't run duplicates of your Heroic Spirits?"

For someone who built a deck around three copies of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the idea of not having multiple copies of a key monster was unfathomable.

Dartz's grin widened. "Only one copy of each? What a stroke of luck for me!"

"My turn! Draw!"

Dartz's three Mokey Mokey stood proud on his field, their strange, enigmatic expressions oddly more imposing than before. He slid another card into his Duel Disk.

"I activate the Continuous Spell Card [Mokey Mokey Smackdown]! Now, entering the Battle Phase—Mokey Mokey, attack Okita!"

Before Hoshino could react, Okita had already unsheathed her sword, slicing through the tiny creature with a single, clean strike.

[Mokey Mokey – destroyed]

Okita smirked. "Tch, it's just mochi! What did you expect? Challenging the invincible Okita was your mistake!"

Dartz chuckled darkly. "Did you forget? Thanks to [Spirit Barrier], I take no battle damage as long as I control a monster. And your attack just triggered [Mokey Mokey Smackdown]."

The remaining Mokey Mokey on Dartz's field suddenly began to swell, their neutral expressions twisting into furious, reddened faces. Their blocky bodies doubled in size, and the question marks floating above their heads morphed into exclamation marks.

"Uh... What's happening?" Okita took a step back warily. "Are they finally cooked through?"

Dartz's eyes gleamed. "When a Fairy-type monster is destroyed in battle, Mokey Mokey Smackdown increases the ATK of all remaining Mokey Mokey to 3000 until the end of the turn! And thanks to The Seal of Orichalcos, they each gain an additional 500 ATK!"

[Mokey Mokey ATK: 3500] ×2

Even Kaiba looked momentarily stunned. "You're telling me... those ridiculous creatures are now as strong as my Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"

Okita's shoulders slumped, and she dropped to her knees, her head hung low. "...Even a Level 1 monster is stronger than me...?"

Dartz pointed at Okita with a flourish. "This is the end, Hoshino! Mokey Mokey, attack Okita!"

One of the enraged Mokey Mokey charged forward, its glowing exclamation mark radiating power. In one swift motion, it obliterated Okita in a devastating strike.

[Okita – Destroyed]

[Hoshino LP 3600 → 2600]

Dartz sneered. "I still have one more Mokey Mokey left, and you have no monsters remaining. The next attack will end this!"

But Hoshino remained unfazed. She swiftly flipped over one of her Set Cards.

"Not so fast! The true power of my ace only activates when she's sent to the Graveyard! I activate the Trap Card [The Cute Girl Seated Behind Me]! When [Heroic Spirit – Okita Souji] is destroyed by battle, I banish [Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga] from my Deck along with Okita to perform a Fusion Summon!"

Dartz paused mid-action, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

"Fusion Summon? Are you bringing out that Okita Alter that defeated Rafael? It's powerful, but with my Spirit Barrier, it's useless against me."

Protected by Spirit Barrier, Dartz took no damage from battles involving his monsters. And since Okita Alter couldn't attack directly, this seemed like the worst possible matchup.

Hoshino smirked confidently.

"I know that—but seeing your Dragonecro gave me inspiration. It's time for a new Fusion Summon!"

A spark ignited at her fingertips, quickly engulfing her Duel Disk in a crimson blaze as a new Fusion Monster began to take shape.

"By fusing two Level 7 or higher Warrior-type [Heroic Spirit] monsters—Fusion Summon! [Heroic Spirit – True Samadhi Fire Mordred]!"

Crimson flames erupted from the ground, taking the form of a knight cloaked in fiery brilliance. Unlike her usual rebellious form, this Mordred appeared draped in dragon-like fire, her eyes gleaming ominously in the burning glow.

"But when The Cute Girl Seated Behind Me activates, I lose 800 Life Points due to its side effect."

[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 2600 → 1800]

[Heroic Spirit – True Samadhi Fire Mordred ★★★★★★★★★ (Level 9)][FIRE][Dragon/Fusion/Effect][ATK 3000/DEF 2000]

[Fusion Materials: 2 Level 7 or higher [Heroic Spirit] Warrior-Type monsters]

"Heh, Master~ Whatcha think of this look? Feels like I can totally char everything now! Burny-burny's a blast, y'know?" Mordred's mischievous grin only cemented her fiery, troublemaker personality.

Hoshino chuckled. "Alright, Mordred, let's turn those two angry blocks into a nice barbecue! I activate your special effect!"

Flames erupted from Mordred's hands, sweeping across the field and engulfing Dartz's Mokey Mokey monsters.

"I am the Sage King, master of the Fire-Cloud Cave! And more than anything—the heir of the Ox-Demon King!"

[①: When this card is Fusion Summoned: Change the ATK of all non-FIRE monsters on the field to 0.]

The scorching flames dissipated, leaving Dartz's once-furious, glowing Mokey Mokey monsters charred black and utterly deflated. Their once-bold "!" marks reverted to the familiar confused "-_-" expressions.

[Mokey Mokey ATK 3000 → 0]

Kaiba's eyes narrowed.

"So this is Hoshino's new Heroic Spirit? Her deck's evolution even mid-duel is remarkable. That effect is strong."

"Looks like we turned them into burnt offerings..." Mordred muttered awkwardly, scratching the back of her head as she eyed the two charred Mokey Mokey.

"It's fine, Mordred. Just control the heat a bit better next time," Hoshino reassured her with a wave of her hand.

Hoshino turned her gaze to Dartz, her smirk widening.

"You thought breaking Okita would weaken me, but all it did was make me stronger! Was that part of your plan too?"

A soft but audible "tsk" escaped Dartz as he furrowed his brow. His gaze shifted toward the fiery knight now standing on Hoshino's field.

"I end my Battle Phase."

With the Mokey Mokey monsters' ATK reduced to zero, Dartz couldn't launch an effective counterattack. And while Spirit Barrier protected him from battle damage, sacrificing his monsters recklessly wouldn't benefit him.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card [Pot of Avarice]! I shuffle five monsters from my Graveyard back into my Deck—Skull Servant x3, Mokey Mokey Adrift, and Gigobyte. Then, I draw two cards."

With his Graveyard replenished, Dartz restored his hand to two cards. Upon seeing his new draws, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Hoshino, the real despair is just beginning. It doesn't matter how powerful your Heroic Spirits are—they will all bow before the true might of the Orichalcos."

Hoshino tilted her head, puzzled.

"The Orichalcos? You're just talking about that 500 ATK boost, right? That's hardly enough to tip the scales."

Dartz's grin widened.

"The Seal of Orichalcos you've seen so far is merely the first layer of its power—a fragment designed to empower monsters and trap souls. Now, you'll witness its true form!"

"First...?" A chill ran down Hoshino's spine.

Raising his Duel Disk, Dartz unveiled a hidden field slot.

"I activate the Field Spell [Orichalcos Deuteros]!"

A surge of energy erupted from the Duel Disk as the original green Orichalcos circle expanded, morphing into a larger, deeper blue ring. The oppressive atmosphere thickened, engulfing the battlefield in an even more suffocating darkness.

"This new Field Spell replaces the original [Seal of Orichalcos], inheriting its effects while adding new, terrifying powers. And of course, it ensures that no other Field Spells can ever overwrite it!"

Hoshino grimaced. "So you've eliminated the Orichalcos Seal's one weakness—the ability to counter it with another Field Spell."

Dartz chuckled, his voice dripping with malice.

"Now, let's unveil its new ability! I activate [Orichalcos Deuteros]'s effect!"

[①: During each of your Main Phases, you gain LP equal to 500 x the number of monsters on your field.]

"With two Mokey Mokey on my field, I recover 1000 Life Points!"

[Dartz LP 2000 → 3000]

The bluish glow emanating from the seal seeped into Dartz's body, invigorating him. At the same time, the energy seemed to drain the life force from his Mokey Mokey monsters, leaving them even weaker and more lifeless.

Hoshino clenched her fist.

"This seal… It's not just a card effect—it's siphoning the life force of your monsters! You're using their energy to empower yourself!"

(*****)

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