Heroic Spirit Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh!

"Lord Rafael, would you like to confirm Professor Hawkins' status?" The reporting officer gestured toward the helicopter behind him, indicating that the professor was being held there.

Rafael shook his head. "No need. Destroying the research data is sufficient."

"Let me! Let me confirm it!" Eager to approach Professor Hawkins, Hoshino feigned an intense curiosity about the famous scholar.

The armed personnel exchanged wary glances. "Who is this?"

Valon stepped in with an authoritative tone. "Doma's newest member—Hoshino!"

Rafael nodded in silent confirmation, instantly dispelling any doubts the guards might have had.

"Our apologies, Lady Hoshino!"

Realizing her status, the soldiers immediately adjusted their attitudes, treating her with newfound respect as they escorted her to the aircraft where Professor Hawkins was detained.

Inside the dimly lit cabin, the elderly professor sat slumped in a corner, bound and gagged. It was unclear whether he was asleep or unconscious.

Seeing the once-spirited old man from Kame Game Shop in such a pitiful state, Hoshino felt a twinge of sympathy.

"Is this how you treat an elder? Don't you have grandparents at home? Show some respect! Release him immediately!"

The guards hesitated at her sudden command. "Releasing him might be—"

The military officer accompanying Hoshino snapped, "Lady Hoshino gave an order. Do you think you have the authority to defy a member of Doma?!"

Flustered, the guards quickly complied. "Apologies! We'll release him at once!"

"Being part of Doma is incredibly useful!" Hoshino marveled at how effortlessly her new position intimidated fully armed soldiers.

Her thoughts briefly drifted to Dartz, the leader of Doma—whom she had knocked unconscious during their previous encounter. As a man of immense influence, she could only hope he wouldn't hold a grudge. Otherwise, she might find herself encased in cement at the bottom of the sea.

"Old man, you've got a visitor." One of the guards rudely addressed the now-freed professor, his tone a stark contrast to the deference he had shown Hoshino.

Arthur Hawkins lifted his head stubbornly and growled, "I have nothing to say to you people. If you have the guts, kill me now. As long as I live, I'll uncover the truth behind the destruction of Atlantis!"

"Professor Hawkins, haven't you heard the saying, 'He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day'?"

The moment Hoshino spoke, her familiar voice caught the professor's attention.

"You're—?!" Arthur's expression shifted from defiance to shock. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Squatting down to meet his gaze, Hoshino smirked faintly. "If you were to die here, your granddaughter would be heartbroken, wouldn't she?"

Mindful of the armed guards, she kept up her pretense, masking any real connection between them.

Arthur studied her warily. "Are you saying you're part of Doma?"

The thought of this gentle girl from the game shop aligning herself with an organization bent on reshaping the world was hard to believe.

"I've read your papers, Professor. Unfortunately, your research touches on matters far too dangerous. Doma and the truth behind Atlantis aren't things an ordinary archaeologist should meddle with."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

"As Rafael mentioned, destroying your research data is enough. If you promise to stay away from Atlantis's history, I might be able to let you go."

Hoshino, lacking Dartz's flair for theatrics, could only attempt her best imitation of a benevolent villain.

"Letting him go doesn't seem appropriate, Lady Hoshino," the guard leader interjected hesitantly. "Lord Rafael ordered his capture. If we release him just because you said so…"

"Do as Hoshino says," came a deep voice from behind.

Rafael's imposing figure filled the cabin, his head nearly brushing the ceiling.

"Our real objective was to lure Yugi Muto into a trap. That's already in motion."

"Yugi came to the U.S.?" Arthur asked, clearly startled.

This is the U.S.? Hoshino blinked, only now realizing their location. Then again, Professor Hawkins was American, so it made sense.

"I've arranged a duel with Yugi Muto before sunrise in the Valley of the Kings, using the professor as bait," Rafael continued. "According to reports, Yugi is already en route. Therefore, the professor has served his purpose."

"Wait—why is Yugi in the U.S.?" Hoshino asked, still trying to piece things together.

"Apparently, he received a distress signal from Maximillion Pegasus and flew here. He also acquired a unique card specially designed for the Legendary Dragons."

"Pegasus?" Hoshino frowned. "Does that mean something happened to him?"

"Indeed." Rafael's voice carried a note of satisfaction. "During Yugi's journey here, Pegasus was defeated by a member of Doma. His soul was sealed by the Seal of Orichalcos."

The pride in his tone was unmistakable. Defeating the creator of Duel Monsters was no small feat—it was yet another testament to Doma's strength.

"Even Pegasus was taken down…"

Hoshino grew increasingly wary. Her system had rated Pegasus as an A+ duelist, second only to Yugi's Pharaoh persona.

"And next, it's Yugi Muto's turn!" Rafael declared, turning toward the exit before pausing to glance back at Hoshino.

"Valon and I will face Yugi Muto and Jonouchi Katsuya, while Alister will challenge Seto Kaiba. Hoshino, who do you wish to accompany? The choice is yours."

"Of course, I'll go find Yugi and the others. Who cares about that arrogant Kaiba? Let him fend for himself! Besides, doesn't he believe in science? Can a materialist even have their soul sealed?"

Of course, this was only Hoshino's inner thought, something she would never say aloud. Facing the three Doma members, her actual response was:

"I think with Alister's strength, he shouldn't lose to Kaiba. So, to be safe, I'll go with you two to deal with Yugi and Jonouchi."

And so, with a figurative flag placed firmly on his back by Hoshino, Alister set off on his lonely mission.

(***)

Valley of the Kings

Leaping out of the descending helicopter, Hoshino landed on the fractured, uneven terrain, scanning her surroundings.

"So this is the Valley of the Kings, huh? Rafael, you sure know how to pick a place."

The group stood atop one of the few natural rock platforms flat enough to host a duel. But Hoshino's comment wasn't just about the duel location—it was also about the valley's name.

Dueling the Pharaoh in a place called the 'Valley of the Kings'?

Valon crossed his arms, voicing his doubts. "We already let the old man go. Will Yugi really show up?"

Standing tall with his Duel Disk equipped, Rafael nodded confidently. "We released Professor Hawkins after Yugi had already set out. Besides, as long as Yugi is a true duelist, he won't back down from a challenge."

Hoshino found his reasoning solid. This wasn't just about the professor being taken hostage—Doma was making a statement. If Yugi ignored their challenge, they would continue targeting the people closest to him.

There was no way Yugi would avoid this duel. He would fight to protect his friends in his own way.

"But there's still some time before sunrise, right? Are we just going to stand around and wait?" Hoshino stretched, feeling mentally exhausted from everything that had happened in a single day—starting at Duel Academy in the future and somehow ending up in the United States.

But glancing at Rafael, who stood motionless in a dramatic pose, Hoshino had a feeling he intended to maintain this cool guy posture until Yugi arrived.

Adjusting his goggles, Valon smirked. "I'm not waiting around. I've got my own work to do. If you're bored, Hoshino-chan, you can come with me. I'll introduce you to the one who defeated Pegasus."

"The one who defeated Pegasus?" Hoshino blinked in surprise. "Wait, you mean it wasn't one of you three?"

Valon grinned mischievously. "You'll understand when you see for yourself."

With a mysterious smile, he rolled out a sleek, black three-person motorcycle from the helicopter. While not as flashy as Paradox's Duel Runner, it was clearly a top-tier machine fit for a biker gang.

"But..." Hoshino hesitated. She was curious about the person who had defeated Pegasus, but she also wanted to witness Rafael's duel against Yugi.

Seeing her reluctance, Valon reassured her. "Don't worry, we'll be back before the duel starts. Hop on!"

"Alright, I'll be back soon!" Driven by curiosity and reassured by Valon's promise, Hoshino climbed into the motorcycle's small side seat. Her slender frame curled up in the compact space, giving her an unexpectedly adorable appearance.

But the next moment, she regretted it.

The Valley of the Kings was full of uneven terrain, with sheer drop-offs and treacherous paths—hardly the ideal place for a motorcycle ride.

"Ah! Slow down! Let me off this crazy ride! This isn't a school bus!"

"Yeehaw!" Valon, grinning behind his goggles, yelled back, "The doors are locked, no getting off now! And stop screaming, or you'll bite your tongue!"

"Mmgh~!"

And then, both passengers promptly bit their tongues.

.

..

...

After an exhausting, bone-rattling ride, they finally arrived at their destination. Hoshino slumped over, half-dead, her head tilted back as if her soul had nearly left her body.

"I shouldn't have trusted you... I should've just waited with Rafael." She groaned, reaffirming that, among the members of Doma, Rafael was the only remotely reliable one.

"Chiyuki?! What are you doing here?"

A familiar, soft female voice—filled with surprise and just a hint of awkwardness—snapped Hoshino out of her daze. She practically jumped out of the motorcycle in excitement.

"Mai?!"

Standing before her, dressed in her signature stylish outfit with her usual elegance and pride, was none other than Mai Valentine.

Hoshino had heard Doma mention Mai before, but with everything going on, she hadn't had the chance to ask about her. Eventually, she had forgotten all about it—until now.

"Huh? You two know each other?" Valon asked, puzzled by their mutual shock. Hopping off the motorcycle, he smirked. "Hoshino-chan, the one who defeated Pegasus is none other than Mai Valentine."

"Mai defeated Pegasus?" Hoshino was stunned.

She remembered Mai from Duelist Kingdom—a skilled duelist but ranked only at a B-level. Yet, in just a month, Mai had skyrocketed to A+ level. No, if she had defeated Pegasus, her rank might be even higher than that.

"I can't believe you joined Doma, Mai..." Hoshino muttered in disbelief. During Battle City, Mai had been a cheerful companion to everyone. Why would she join Doma? She couldn't wrap her head around it.

Could she be an undercover agent, like me? No, that seemed too far-fetched.

"And what about you, Chiyuki?" Mai, having recovered from her shock, smiled faintly. "Rather than me joining Doma, isn't it more accurate to say you were part of Doma all along?"

A mysterious girl with extraordinary dueling skills, suddenly appearing in Duelist Kingdom, her origins unknown.

Neither Industrial Illusions nor KaibaCorp could trace her background.

Then, disappearing from T-Island during the Battle City finals—just as the shadowy Doma organization began to move.

If this girl had been with Doma all along…

Everything suddenly made sense.

(*****)

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