NOVEL WEB Chapter 54: DSMW [54]
Even though she'd been struck by a god's attack—an explosion seemingly powerful enough to shatter the heavens—Aisha felt none of the usual impact, the force that often made these duels feel like real battles.
Had this been a typical duel, Aisha's light frame would've been sent rolling several meters to offset the blow.
But now, she just stood there in a daze, bathed in the divine light, watching as the number representing her Life Points slowly dropped to zero.
"So... we still lost."
Saying she wasn't disappointed would be a lie. Miles had warned her beforehand that winning this duel would be difficult.
Yet after catching a glimpse of hope for a comeback, losing in the end hurt even more than a clean, overwhelming defeat.
"I'm sorry, Miles-san. I'm still... so useless."
"Aisha. You're not allowed to say that ever again."
"Huh? Why not?"
"You forced a god to take the field. If even that counts as 'useless', then what hope is there for anyone else?"
"I... forced out a god... me?"
It felt like a dream. Aisha, who until recently hadn't even understood what a God Card was, now felt an unprecedented sense of pride thanks to Miles's praise.
"That's right, Yuna. You can be proud. The radiance of your humanity—that's your greatest weapon. If you embrace it, the day may come when even gods are within your reach."
The Pharaoh retracted his Duel Disk. The mechanical device folded back with a satisfying metallic click, returning to its compact form, hanging from his arm.
"I believe even if you haven't found the full answer tonight, you now know the direction in which to search. That alone will prepare you for the duels yet to come."
"Duels yet to come?" Miles asked curiously. "Do you mean when we advance to the upper grades? Like the academy ranking battles between the three Sacred Summon schools?"
"That's only part of it."
The Pharaoh gently lifted the Millennium Puzzle hanging at his chest—identical to Aisha's.
But his Puzzle, like his body, was semi-transparent, not fully present in this world.
"Tonight, you also saw the Millennium Ring aside from the Puzzle."
"Yeah, the one the Dark Duelists were using," Aisha nodded.
"Just as you summoned the Millennium Puzzle by chance, the other six Millennium Items have also been drawn to this Elves' Continent by some mysterious force."
"There are six more like the Puzzle?!"
"Even I don't fully understand why the seven Millennium Items—symbols of darkness—have appeared here. But one thing is clear: their arrival has upset the balance between light and darkness in this land. Not every Item bearer can balance that darkness the way you do, Yuna."
As for why the Millennium Items symbolize darkness... That goes back three thousand years to their creation in ancient Egypt. Miles vaguely recalled the legend: the Millennium Items were forged from the souls of countless living people.
Their spirits were sacrificed in a dark ritual, melted into molten gold. This overwhelming death energy granted the Items their connection to the deepest shadows.
"Fates are drawn together. Since the Millennium Items are here, they will inevitably gather again. Please... this is my request. As the successor to my Partner and the Millennium Puzzle, do not let these Items fall into the hands of those with ill intent."
What did "ill intent" mean? Simply put, Duelists like the Dark Duelists they faced tonight.
Even using a fake Millennium Ring, they could initiate Shadow Games, steal cards, and even threaten lives.
"Speaking of ill intent..." Miles asked, "What happened to the Dark Duelist who collapsed here? And Mizuki?"
"I sent them back where they belong."
Mizuki was probably returned to the academy. As for the now-deceased Dark Duelist... Miles figured he didn't need to ask further.
After all, the Pharaoh was the King of the Afterlife.
"I understand, Pharaoh," Miles nodded. "And as for your request—I agree. The Shadow Games these Items bring are undeniably dangerous. Since fate drew us together, I'll make sure I never lose to an Item bearer—as long as I can protect myself."
"That's good, Miles." The Pharaoh smiled. "Though you can still carry Aisha through most duels, remember this: the truly difficult battles are those you must face together, not alone."
"Yes! I'll do my best to support Miles-san. Leave it to me, Pharaoh-san!"
"Pharaoh... san?"
Aisha's overly formal suffix threw even the Pharaoh for a loop.
"Oh, right! Pharaoh-san, this card... I should return it to you."
Aisha pulled out [Goddess of Sweet Revenge]—the card she received from [Exchange] earlier.
By the rules of the Elves' Continent, cards obtained from an opponent during the duel because of a card effect and such should normally return to their original Deck after the duel.
But for some reason, this card stayed in Aisha's Deck.
"No. As I said... she wants to stay with you."
Raising his hand in refusal, the Pharaoh did not take the card back.
"Yuna, for forcing a God Card onto the field, you've earned the right to wield that card."
"R-Really?"
Aisha, already overwhelmed by tonight's events, could hardly believe it. First, she'd received [Polymerization] from Irene... now this, [Goddess of Sweet Revenge], from the Pharaoh himself.
A card capable of turning the tide of battle in a single play—truly overpowered by Fusion Academy standards.
"You're so generous, Pharaoh-san!"
The words tumbled out naturally—simple but heartfelt.
But the Pharaoh's generosity didn't end there.
"Of course. Miles, you also showed me the potential of weak monsters. And as a reward for your first battle against the darkness... these three cards are yours."
"Three cards?!" Miles, still in spirit form, perked up. 'Wait, could it be... the three Gods?!'
Then the realization hit, '…Dream on. No way.'
The three cards the Pharaoh handed over were the trio of royal knights—[Queen's Knight], [King's Knight], and [Jack's Knight]—the very monsters he'd used throughout this duel.
With that, Aisha's Magic Directory unlocked a new branch: the Card series supporting the Royal Knights.
...
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