Today was finally here.

After a restless night where I could barely get any sleep...

The sun peeked through the curtains to signal the start of the Tri-deity Circuit finals.

Somehow, each school managed to have at least one person competing on their behalf.

For GEN Academy, it was me— Takamine Minoru, Category King.

For Jinrai High, it was Etou Isuzu, Category Ace.

For Alba Academy, it was Agon Ikuto, Category Zero.

It was definitely a trio no one was expecting. Most people were expecting Jouraku to make it to the finals, since he was the favourite to win, but I somehow managed to knock him out beforehand.

The new favourite to win was Etou, both because she was the strongest competitor here in the rankings, but also because Agon and I built a lot of bad faith with the audience. They're still harbouring a grudge against us with varying degrees of disdain.

For Agon, it was both because he was a Category Zero and had a violent approach to Vanguard.

Even though it was unprecedented for a Category Zero to make their way to the finals, and he was carving out history before our eyes, few people celebrated since they thought a Zero like him should stay at the bottom where he belonged. However...

I think me using my Arcana took a lot of the heat off him.

People were pissed that I was gifted a turn-ending skill. The discourse shifted from how immoral Agon was to how I was a hack who only became Category King by spamming my Arcana and getting cheap wins against better players.

There was even a theory I sandbagged down from Ace to King to prevent suspicion, even though I've never been Ace in my life before. Hell, the chance to fight stronger players and earn enough points to become Category Ace was one of the main reasons I wanted to compete.

Things got so bad I had to set my account to private, since trolls found it and spammed me with nasty messages, scam links, and dox attempts. It was a good thing I'm used to seeing this kind of thing, since mommy has her own share of rabid haters online too...

It was because of that she taught me how to protect myself and handle these situations, since she feared I would become a target too due to my connection with her. It's coming in handy now, since if it was someone else, they might crack under the pressure.

That's not to say this doesn't hurt or anything— it's annoying at best to terrifying at worst. I feel like sooner or later they'll find out I'm the son of Saionji Yuuri, the mother of Riding Duels, and I think all hell will break loose...

I mean, if they already have this adverse of a reaction to me hiding my Arcana... I can only imagine how pissed they'll be if I was hiding my connections to her as well.

I can already see it. They'll use this to accuse me of being a dishonest person for hiding so much, then discredit my achievements even further by saying mommy set me up to succeed thanks to her influence in the Vanguard world.

The worst part is, they weren't entirely wrong. It is true that mommy's involvement in Vanguard got me interested in the game. She's also a damn good player, so I got free personal coaching from her growing up. Plus, I definitely wouldn't be able to afford the cards I have without her wealth...

But even so... I didn't get good just from that, damn it! I also put in a ton of hard work behind the scenes to succeed, and no one can see that...

I just wish people recognised that. I even made it a point in the Tri-deity Circuit— for the first two rounds I went without using my Arcana, and I only busted it out against Agon since I had no other way to win otherwise. Plus, I didn't even use it against Jouraku!

And yet, once I revealed it... none of my past actions mattered anymore. All that mattered was the fact I owned this Arcana. And it was more than justified to hate me for it.

Nothing I say will change their minds. But what I do will probably have more of an impact than anything else.

Ultimately, that was the reason that had the most influence on what I'll do today—

Even though my heart is still wavering up until the very last moment, I forced myself to gather enough determination and courage to see this through to the end.

Fate might not be on my side, but it can damn well go eat shit and die.

It's an unfair world out there.

But I have to keep believing, so I can spread my wings together with you, Sagitta. Otherwise...

A vague feeling that dwelled in my heart started to bubble up in my chest.

***

"...Lucina-sensei?"

After brushing my teeth, taking a shower, and changing my clothes, I came downstairs to the living to see Lucina-sensei having already prepared breakfast for me.

"Good morning, Takamine-san!"

She smiled, waving a spatula still wearing that same gaudy apron from yesterday.

"Thank you for doing this for me, but you didn't have to go out of your way..."

"What are you saying? You're the main star today, after all! It's the least I can do, so you can focus on preparing for your fight."

My eyes widened. I smiled a little.

"I appreciate the kind gesture. Thanks for the meal."

Lucina-sensei made a traditional Japanese breakfast and a cup of green tea for me. I was surprised she knew I didn't like coffee, but maybe Reona told her...

"So, how are you feeling?"

Lucina-sensei leaned over the counter, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"Quietly confident... I think?"

"It doesn't sound very convincing when you add that on the end."

She laughed. I took a sip of miso soup to buy me some time to think through my words. It was too early in the morning for this kind of thing...

"I mean, after telling everyone I'd win no matter what... I think I need to at least convince myself that I have a chance."

"After seeing you up on stage, I think Takamine-san is the best at handling tournament pressure. I haven't seen you crack once, unlike the others."

"...you think so?"

"I can tell. I mean, I was constantly surrounded by confident people when I went to GEN."

"E-eh? Lucina-sensei was also a GEN Academy student?"

"Yup. It's a long time ago now... it's funny, because I think my 1st Year was more memorable than my final year."

"What happened?"

"My husband, Kazutaka, ended up getting into a pretty heated rivalry with one of his senpais at the start of the year... I honestly don't know how he managed to do it, since he's a really shy and awkward kid. But to make a long story short, he managed to expel that senpai—"

"Oi, that sounds like an insane feat!"

"—only for that senpai to return to the school later because he was the son of the school director!"

"Oi, that's just nepotism!"

"You'd think that... but actually, I was lying."

Lucina-sensei stuck out her tongue.

"That's a poor joke, sensei..."

"Ha ha, sorry. Truthfully, that senpai was bought back into the school by his classmates."

"H-huh?"

"Back then, we had a system called private points. It was abolished at the start of my 2nd Year, though. Private points were essentially the currency of the island, but the trick was that you could practically buy anything with them, as long as you could pay the price. That senpai Kazutaka expelled... he was beloved by his class for being such an exceptional leader. The class rep that followed him did everything in her power to gather enough points to bring him back, and well... they succeeded."

"Damn... I can't begin to imagine how your husband felt after that."

"The reaction on his face was adorable when he found out! I've never seen him make such a confused face before!"

Lucina-sensei laughed, blushing as she recalled the memory.

"But... even though he was annoyed, he was also partially glad. Because Kazutaka wound up regretting it and made amends with his senpai. To this day, they're still friends."

"That's a surprisingly sweet conclusion..."

"Right? After being surrounded by those excessively impressive people, I was sure they would be at each other's throats again... but they seemed to have mellowed out by the end."

Lucina-sensei laughed, moving to sit on the countertop.

"And when I look at all of you now, the one who reminds me the most of Kazutaka, his senpai, and all those other incredibly smart people... is you, Takamine-san."

I raised an eyebrow before scratching my cheek.

"Me...? Seriously? It's flattering, but I don't think I could pull off such extravagant feats."

"It's the look in your eyes— you're more composed and poised than even the Aces. You've competed in high-stakes tournaments like this before, haven't you?"

"When I was younger, yeah."

"How far did you make it?"

Lucina-sensei's eyes lit up.

"I made it to the semi-finals a couple of times, and the finals twice... but there was one I actually won."

"Ooh, congratulations! Which one was it?"

"The Junior Starlight Cup. I was up against a Bastion player. Back then, I played Herminia, so it felt like a battle between drive checking rear-guards."

"Did you win by sacking?"

"I think I won because I rushed them to five before they reached grade 3."

"Talk about Ket hand..."

"Yeah. I felt a little bad, but... for them to even make it to the finals with Bastion in the first place is pretty damn impressive itself."

"Let's hope that Etou-san suffers the same fate today."

"Considering all the grade 3s Thegrea play, that wouldn't be impossible."

Lucina-sensei and I laughed, but a shiver went down my back as I could feel a death stare pierce me the back of my head for that slander. I looked behind me, but no one was there. Oi, my imagination did not just think of Yuuma doing that, right...?

"Thank you for the delicious breakfast."

"No problem at all! I'm glad you like it."

Lucina-sensei grinned, clearing my plates. I took out my deck and riffled through it one last time.

"...sensei."

"Hmm?"

"What... what do you think about my Arcana?"

"I'm surprised you want to know an old lady's opinion it."

Lucina-sensei laughed.

"Well... I was curious, because you remained quiet about it."

"Hmm. Well, you're really lucky to have such a strong tool at your disposal... but to be honest, stuff like that doesn't phase me anymore."

"Eh? It's not surprising?"

"I'm not saying this to discourage you, Takamine-san, but... I've seen far more impressive things in my youth. Unless you're operating at that level, it's just hard to shock me."

"Just what the hell kind of people were you surrounded by when you were a student...?"

"Real monsters. I didn't stand a chance against them, even if I tried. But I did learn something important from watching them battle..."

The gentle summer breeze ran between us.

"It's a big world out there. Everyone might think your Arcana is overpowered now, but there's going to be someone with an even stronger Arcana than yours, or someone will come along and figure out how to counter your Arcana. What will you do when that happens?"

I blinked, looking away.

"I... I never thought about that before."

"And that's fine."

She put a hand on my shoulder, smiling at me.

"Sensei..."

"As long as you're you... that's more than enough."

I squeezed my fists under the table. I nodded at her wise words.

"...are the others coming?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I can't see anyone else here, so..."

I scratched the back of my head.

"Ahh, I think they're probably still sleeping... did you want to talk to them?"

I sighed. I guess in the end... the final only mattered to me after all.

"...no, it's fine. Let's go, sensei."

Lucina-sensei nodded, and we headed to the venue together.

***

After submitting my deck list, I headed to the GEN Academy control room.

Putting aside the others... not having Yuuma or Reona greet me in the morning put a serious dent in my morale.

I thought at the very least, those two would support me, but I guess I misread the situation.

A notification popped up in front of me.

"I'm here."

It was from mommy.

"I'm at the VIP booth. Come meet me!"

My body was shaking.

After all this time of radio silence...

Mommy, she...

I turned my back and sprinted to the elevator, going up to the fifth floor where the VIP booths were.

After getting past the bouncer by providing my ID, I ran down the corridor to reach the room where mommy was inside.

Panting, I knocked on the front door, before trying to put myself together.

As the door opened, a familiar floral scent wafted into my nose.

"Mommy..."

My eyesight became misty as I saw her standing in the doorway, holding out her arms to me.

"Minoru..."

"You're finally here...!"

I grit my teeth, running into her arms to hug her, and cried into her chest. I could feel her pat my head as she wrap her arms around me.

"Well done, dear... I'm really proud of you for making it to the finals."

"M-mommy..."

Even though I was now safe in her arms, I couldn't help but keep sobbing.

After all this time... mommy was finally here... she came to watch me...

Closing the door behind us, mommy released me from her hug and began wiping the tears rolling down my face.

"You've done so well, Minoru. I'm so sorry I couldn't come sooner... work got in the way."

She smiled, kissing my cheeks before giving me a handkerchief to blow my nose into.

"When I saw that you make it to the finals, I knew that I had to come support you no matter what. Please forgive me, okay?"

Mommy smiled, stroking the side of my face. I nodded.

"I'm just glad... that mommy knew... that mommy is now here..."

She hugged me again, laughing.

"Yes, I'm right here... and I'll be cheering you on to win. Go out there and claim complete victory like you were meant to, Minoru. I don't want anything less from my baby."

She kissed me on the forehead. I hugged her tighter, laughing a little.

It's strange.

Somehow, I felt stronger knowing mommy was behind my back.

Even if every other person in the world turned against me...

As long as I had mommy by my side, I could remain sturdy through this turbulence.

"Please watch me closely, mommy... I'll make sure to win, no matter what."

She smiled, kissing me again.

"I believe in you, Minoru."

***

After telling mommy all about the tournament so far, I rushed to the control room since the finals would be starting soon.

The format of the finals was slightly different than the other rounds because there were three people.

The victor would be decided by whoever first gets a win against each of the other finalists.

In other words, if I win against Agon and Etou, I win the Tri-deity Circuit.

But if I win against Agon and lose against Etou, then she could win by beating Agon— and vice versa for Agon.

If we all tie, we repeat this process until one person is crowned the winner.

This means the person who wins the first match gets a huge advantage over the other two, since all they need to do is win the next match to win the entire thing.

Hopefully, that person will be me, but... I'm also prepared to take this to the long haul if need be. If we end up in a deadlock situation, things will mainly boil down to luck and stamina, and I think I have an advantage over these two for this.

Because of his nausea, Agon has a weak stamina, and I have better odds of sacking than Etou because I get Triple Drive every turn.

The main things I need to be wary of are Agon's Arcana and Etou's Decisive Axe. If I'm going to get caught out by something, it's going to be one of those two... I can just feel it.

Opening the door of the GEN Academy control room, my eyes widened.

"Minoru-san!"

Yuuma leapt out, hugging me.

"Y-Yuuma-san?"

I stumbled back, catching her as I looked around the room.

Everyone— Yuuma, Reona, Momoka, Iori, Busujima, Kuyou, Akitani, and Lucina-sensei— was there, waiting for me.

"Ku ku... took you long enough, slowpoke." Kuyou said.

"Jeez, what took you so long?" Momoka said.

"We've been waiting here since forever, just so you know." Iori said.

"Y-you guys... what are you doing here?"

"We all woke up extra early to surprise you." Reona said.

"S-surprise me?"

"It was Yuuma-chan's idea. She said you looked down in the dumps yesterday... so she asked us all to surprise you with our support this morning." Momoka said.

I looked at Yuuma who turned bright red.

"M-Momoka-san! Y-you didn't have to say that..."

"It was obvious that it was you. You're the one who cares for him the most, after all. What's so good about that guy anyways?"

"M-Minoru-san has plenty of great points about him! H-he's kind, sweet, and... and...!"

I laughed as Yuuma tripped over her words.

"Thank you, Yuuma-san... and to everyone else as well. It means a lot seeing you all here to support me. I appreciate it!"

A pop-up appeared in front of all of us.

<Commencing next game>
[Jinrai] Etou Isuzu vs [GEN] Takamine Minoru

"...looks like I'm up first."

I took a deep breath, clutching my deck tightly.

"Good luck! Everyone else at GEN Academy has your back too!" Lucina-sensei said.

"You're only one step away from reaching the top. Don't mess it up." Akitani said.

"Even if I don't like your Arcana... you're still one of us. So, you better represent us well out there, m'kay?" Momoka said.

"If you win now, it's going to a be huge advantage for you, Takamine-san! You've got this!" Iori said.

"If you lose to either of them now, I won't forgive you." Kuyou said.

"Good luck." Busujima said.

"Do your best out there, Minoru-san! We'll be cheering for you from the bottom of our lungs!" Reona said.

"Minoru-san... I..."

Yuuma shook her head, looking at me straight in the eyes.

"Minoru-san is going to win this entire thing! I know it!"

I smiled.

"Thank you, everyone... I'm going on ahead."

***

Etou and I stood opposite ends of the fight table, getting ready for our match.

For some reason, I could feel her staring at me more than usual... was there a reason for why she was concentrating so hard on me?

I felt singled out since she did the same thing when we first met too. Her gaze was lingered on me before she switched gears. It was unlike her usual calm and rigid self.

"...is there something on my face?"

Etou tilted her head. Why was she acting confused, she's the one staring rudely at me...!

"You've been studying my appearance for awhile now, Etou-san."

She blinked, nodding.

"Apologies. It's just that... for the longest time, I felt that Takamine-san reminded me of someone."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Sorry to wax poetic before our game, but if you would allow me..."

"Go ahead. I'm curious now."

"...when I was younger, my main deck was Bastion, not Thegrea. However, after a certain tournament... I stopped playing Bastion because of what happened in the finals. My opponent was a small boy playing Herminia... and he rushed me to five before I could even ride Accord."

My eyes widened.

"...h-huh?"

"I was humiliated that day. And that humiliation lingered every time I played with the deck. No matter what I did, I couldn't erase that shame... and Bastion became too painful a deck to play. So, I stopped."

Etou raised her head, looking at me straight in the eyes.

"But when I saw you, Takamine-san... colour me surprised. You were the spitting image of the boy who engraved that humiliation into my heart on that day. But even though you looked just like him, your deck was Sagitta. I couldn't be sure if you were the same person... but I think the surprise written on your face confirms it."

Etou smiled slightly.

"Wait... so, Etou-san is... the same girl... from back then?"

"I'm surprised you still remember... part of me is glad, even. Because that definitely confirms it. You were the person who made me stop playing Bastion all those years ago... it must be a cruel twist of fate to have you be my opponent in the finals, once more."

"Uh... damn, I feel bad now. You really stopped playing Bastion because of that...?"

Etou took a deep breath, nodding.

"Yes. I know it sounds silly, but prior to that, I had never eaten the dirt of defeat before. That bitter taste... that feeling of learned helplessness... I never wanted to experience it again. So, I had to change my ways, otherwise I would lose sight of my dream."

"You want to go pro too, right?"

"Yes. If I left myself boiling in that despair, I would never come back from it."

"What a heavy thing to say... then, I hope this time around, I won't make you quit Thegrea then. Otherwise, you'll make a certain someone extremely sad."

"Kurosaki-san, huh...?"

Etou closed her eyes, the corners of her lips lifting.

"Honestly. I'll never understand where that girl gets her crazy ideas from."

"You haven't seen the extent of it. She's mad for Thegrea."

I laughed.

"I'm glad that she has a deck she can so passionately invest herself in. Thanks to her, even I managed to see something I never considered before..."

Etou put a hand on her deck, smiling.

"I was inspired by her unorthodox choices. But at the same time, I won't back down from my ideals. This is the culmination of everything I've experienced in the Tri-deity Circuit thus far. Are you ready, Takamine-san?"

"I've never been more ready in my life! Let's go all out and make even the other side of the world rumble with our fight, Etou-san!"

A blue card each descended in front of us, with me grasping at mine and Etou letting hers fall into her hand. A burst of special effects ignited the cards, realising our decks.

A sangria crest of bird wings appeared over my deck, while a bright yellow crest of a royal crown strewn through by a sword appeared over Etou's deck.

"Stand up, (the!) Vanguard!"

"Absolute Zero, Rix!"

"Knight of Integrity, Thegrea!"

The system decided Etou would go first.

"Stand and draw. I discard to ride Pink Moth Girl, Maple! I set the Energy Generator and end!"

Etou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
Energy: 0
OXO
OOO

Minoru:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I discard to ride Absolute Zero, Claio! I get the Energy Generator with 3 energy! Arkha's skill, I energycharge! Claio's skill, I scry 7 and add Kraali to hand! I draw from Rix! Claio attacks! (8000)"

While there was an argument to ride and pass to prevent her from playing Encouragement to access Teithgaon, if she eats the damage and uses it now, she'll need another two damage to access Light and Dark Thegrea's skills. This basically let me deal three damage to her for free, so it was in my favour to swing and push her closer to losing.

It's one of the main reasons why Yuuma dislikes the order. It's easy to play around and needing to take the first damage puts you at risk of getting crit, putting you in a worse place, especially against a rush deck.

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Loving Pink, Francette)"

"Damage check! (Retrospective Dragon)"

If Yuuma was with me, I bet she'd cry out in joy seeing that card hit the damage.

"Turn end!"

Etou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
Energy: 0
OXO
OOO

Minoru:
Hand: 8
Damage: 0
Energy: 4
OXO
OOO

"Stand, draw, and charge. I discard to ride Harsh Training, Thegrea! I play Encouragement of Times Past! I counterblast to scry 5 and call Teithfallt! Teithfallt's skill, I soulblast to scry 5 and call my Ace Unit— Knight of Divine White, Yscudyyd!"

Damn, she got her 1-of off that? Talk about getting lucky.

"Yscudyyd's Unique Skill! She gets +5k (10000 > 15000) and I energyblast 3 to scry 7 and call Cerrgaon! Then she gains a skill which protects her from being chosen or retired until the end of your next turn! I call two more Cerrgaon!"

Yikes, she spawned a whole board... if I knew she had two dogs in hand, maybe I would've reconsidered giving her the damage.

"Boosted by Cerrgaon, Teithfallt attacks! (10000 > 23000)"

"No guard! (Cooling Heart, Yuika)"

"Cerrgaon retires, I scry 2, and add one to hand. Boosted by Cerrgaon, Thegrea attacks! (10000 > 23000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Blade Feather Dragon) Critical trigger! Power to Yscudyyd, critical to vanguard! (10000 > 20000) (23000/1 > 2)"

"You've gotta be kidding me... damage checks! (Want to Behold That Profile, Orpha, Fluffy Lady, Godelieve) Critical trigger! All to vanguard! (8000 > 18000)"

"Cerrgaon retires, I scry 2, and add one to hand. Boosted by Cerrgaon, Yscudyyd! (20000 > 33000)"

"Misa and Kashua guard! (38000)"

"Cerrgaon retires, I scry 2, and add one to hand. Turn end!"

Etou:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
Energy: 0
XXX
OOO

Minoru:
Hand: 6
Damage: 3
Energy: 4
OXO
OOO

"Stand, draw, and charge! I discard to ride Absolute Zero, Kashua! Kraali's skill, she goes to soul! I call Yuika, Francette, and Orpha! Orpha's skill, I discard to play Truehearted Ruby from my deck! I counterblast to draw 2 and discard 1! Arkha's skill, energycharge! I energyblast 7 to draw! Boosted by Orpha, Kashua attacks! (10000 > 18000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Absolute Zero, Sagitta)"

"Damage check! (Epee De Justice, Thegrea)"

"Boosted by Yuika, Francette attacks! Francette's skill, she gets +5k! (10000 > 15000 > 23000)"

"No guard! (Palladium Zeal Dragon)"

Just as I thought. Etou took the damage so she could use her skills next turn. At the very least, I managed to even the playing field for us.

"Yuika's skill, I soulblast to bounce Francette! Francette's skill, I bounce Orpha! Turn end!"

Etou:
Hand: 6
Damage: 3
Energy: 0
XXX
OOO

Minoru:
Hand: 7
Damage: 3
Energy: 1
OXO
XOO

"Stand, draw, and charge! I discard to ride One Who Walks the Path of Light, Thegrea! Thegrea's skill, I scry 5 and add a Justice to hand! I set Oath of Vengeance! Thegrea's skill, I counterblast to scry 5 and call Meyrig! Now, with this circuit of hope... reveal my fate, Arcana!"

Etou raised her hand into the air like she was holding up a sword, the pure white circuits in her body surging upwards into the palm of her hand, gathering at the combined shape of her fingertips, and emerging into a Roman numeral.

V.

"Hierophant ability, activate."

"Apex Punishment! Until end of turn, your vanguard gets grade +2, then I put cards from my drop equal to the number of your grade! Since you're currently grade 4, I put four cards from my drop into soul! Two Cerrgaon, Teithfallt, and Volition! Now, Meyrig's skill! I bind her face up and put Dark into soul to superior ride from deck— the sword of hope that fragments despair shall burn red through heaven, casting out all sin as it cuts away the detestable half of this corrupted world. Before the blooming scales of judgement... all evil shall be banished by my avatar! I ride Epee De Justice, Thegrea! Justice's skill! I discard to superior ride One Who Blooms in the Dark, Thegrea from soul, bind her, and activate Persona Ride! (10000 > 25000) (13000 > 28000) (10000 > 25000)"

I wondered just how many times I've seen this scene play out before... even though Yuuma showed me this combo plenty of times before, it felt slightly different from usual.

I would normally be on grade 3 when she Persona Rides, but right now... I was still on grade 2. It was a small, simple, and seemingly insignificant change... and yet, it was enough to push this familiar combo over the edge and make Etou seem terrifying.

Glancing at a card in her hand, Etou took a deep breath, before looking at me.

"Takamine-san. I think it must be fate that I'm fighting you right now."

"What do you mean by that?"

"...before the finals, I made one small tweak to my deck. Because I... after making it to the finals of the Tri-deity Circuit, I found the courage to try and approach it again. So... I put a small piece of the old me into my current deck."

I raised an eyebrow. Etou smiled.

"My past will now collide with my present to form my future. And defeating you with it will be what finally lets me move on from those self-loathing days. So, thank you... for being the last push to help me overcome the trauma that's kept me at a standstill all this time. I call... Knight Armour Dragon, Chivalzerd!"

My eyes widened.

"That's... that's... that's a Bastion card!"

"Yes. Yes it is. This will be what bridges my weakness with my strength... so that I won't falter anymore! Chivalzerd's skill! I energyblast 3 to give it +5k and Boost! (13000 > 18000) And since I Persona Rode this turn, I scry 3, call Cerrgaon, and botdeck the rest!"

If Yuuma was here... I wonder what she'd think about this. Would she be having another aneurysm over Etou's deck choices? Or would she approve of it, screaming "Etou-sama!" while praising her ingenuity?

"Ha ha... ha ha ha..."

I couldn't help but laugh to myself.

"Is something funny, Takamine-san?"

"N-no, sorry... I was just thinking to myself..."

...I guess even Yuuma's influence rubbed off on me. When I think of Thegrea, I also think of her. Those two really are a match made in heaven, huh?

"My bad. Please, continue."

"With pleasure. Thegrea attacks! (28000) Mete Recollection!"

"No guard!"

"Twin Drive!! (Encouragement of Times Past, Elementaria Sanctitude)"

"Damage check! (Astesice, Misa) Critical trigger! All to vanguard! (10000 > 20000)"

"Thegrea's skill! I counterblast and discard to restand the vanguard with drive -1! (28000/2d > 1d) Thegrea attacks again! (28000/1d) Mete Recollection!"

"Riviena, perfect guard!"

"Drive check! (Healer of Heavenly Staff, Arshes) Heal trigger! I can't heal, but power to Teithfallt! (25000 > 35000) Boosted by Chivalzerd, Yscudyyd attacks! Her skill, since your vanguard is grade 3 or greater, she gets +5k, and since I have four or more rear-guards, she gets +5k again! (25000 > 30000 > 35000 > 53000)"

I grit my teeth.

"What in the... that's a monster of an attack! No guard! (Two of Us, Flow) Heal trigger! I recover a damage and give my vanguard +10k! (20000 > 30000)"

"Boosted by Cerrgaon, Teithfallt attacks! Her skill, +10k! (35000 > 45000 > 58000)"

"And they just keep coming... no guard! (Loving Pink, Francette)"

"Cerrgaon retires, I scry 2, and add one to hand. Turn end!"

Etou:
Hand: 9
Damage: 3
Energy: 0
XXX
OOX

Minoru:
Hand: 5
Damage: 5
Energy: 1
OXO
XOO

"Ahh... being pushed to five before I even reach grade 3... what a familiar sounding scenario."

"I have the faintest idea of what you're talking about."

Etou smiled. She might not acknowledge it, but this is the exact same thing that happened back then— except this time, I was the one on the receiving end.

"Heh, alright then."

I smirked. Instead of pissing me off, it somehow just made me more fired up to get back at her.

"Stand, draw, and charge! Become enraptured under the sweet starlight and dance to your death as you listen to the feathered diva's rising melody! Return to origin... I ride my avatar, Absolute Zero, Sagitta! Kashua's skill, she and Claio gets called from soul! Yuika's skill, she gets +5k! (8000 > 13000) Sagitta's skill, I energyblast 4 to get +10k and a drive! (13000 > 23000/2d > 3d) I play Truehearted Ruby! I counterblast to draw 2 and discard 1! Sagitta's skill, since I discarded, I counterblast to draw! I call Yuika and Francette! Yuika's skill, she gets +5k! (8000 > 13000) Let's take flight! Kashua attacks! Her skill, +5k! (10000 > 15000)"

"Teithfallt intercepts! (18000)"

"Kashua retires and I draw! Boosted by Claio, Sagitta attacks! (23000 > 31000/3d) Arkha's skill, she revives from drop! Repent Wing Frenzy!"

"No guard!"

"Triple Drive!!! (Peaceful Sky Judge Maiden, Arkha, Sigh of Relief, Fabiola) Heal trigger! I recover a damage and give +10k to Francette! (10000 > 20000) (Snowskip, Palvi) Front trigger! My front row gets +10k! (20000 > 30000) (23000 > 33000) (10000 > 20000)"

"Damage check! (One Who Blooms in the Dark, Thegrea)"

"Boosted by Yuika, Arkha attacks! Her skill, +10k! (20000 > 30000 > 43000)"

"Natilla, Arshes, and Meyrig guards! (48000) Natilla goes to soul!"

"Yuika's skill, soulblast to bounce Arkha! Sagitta's skill, I discard to let Francette attack boosted by Yuika! Arkha's skill, energycharge! Francette's skill, +5k! (30000 > 35000 > 48000)"

"No guard! (Palladium Zeal Dragon)"

"Yuika's skill, soulblast to bounce Francette! Francette's skill, bounce Yuika! Turn end!"

Alright, I managed to push her back to five! All I need to do now is survive the next turn and close out this game...

A chill ran down my back.

...I know that's the easiest route to it. I know it is. But...

I narrowed my eyes, gritting the back of my teeth.

My heart is still wavering.

Etou:
Hand: 6
Damage: 5
Energy: 0
OXX
OOX

Minoru:
Hand: 10
Damage: 4
Energy: 1
OXO
OXX

"Stand, draw, and charge! The sword of hope that fragments despair shall burn red through heaven, casting out all sin as it cuts away the detestable half of this corrupted world. Before the blooming scales of judgement... all evil shall be banished by my avatar! Persona Ride, Epee De Justice, Thegrea! (13000 > 28000) (10000 > 25000) Maple's skill, she revives from drop with +5k! (8000 > 13000) Justice's skill! I discard to superior ride from soul, One Who Walks the Path of Light, Thegrea from soul! I bind Justice and activate Persona Ride once more! (28000 > 43000) (25000 > 40000) Encouragement's skill! I energyblast 3 and remove it from game to return my bound Justice to hand! Thegrea's skill! I counterblast to scry 5, then call Teithfallt and Meyrig! And finally, from my hand... I call Decisive Axe Dragon! (13000 > 43000)"

There it was... the real danger card of Etou's deck.

I squeezed my fists, feeling my circuits warming up.

I guess it's now or never, huh...?

"Boosted by Maple, Decisive Axe attacks! (43000 > 56000) Decisive Axe's skill! You can't call normal units to guard!"

I raised my head as fragments of ice began swirling around me.

"That won't be necessary, Etou-san."

Etou raised her eyebrows before smiling slightly.

"I'm surprised... I saw this coming and yet I didn't at the same time."

"I'm sorry... but I can't afford to lose at an important juncture like this."

"I'm not mad. If anything, I pity you."

"...pity?"

I frowned. She nodded.

"The first time you used it... you had such a painful look on your face. It must've been tough, right?"

Averting my gaze from her, I grit the back of my teeth so hard, it felt like they were going to break.

"I'm unfreezing the King's authority!"

The crystal blue circuits in my heart began lighting up, before swirling together and surging to the rest of my body. Channeling its overflowing power into my right arm, I raised it to reveal the Roman numeral engraved on the back of my right hand.

0.

"Fool ability, activate."

"Nightingale Fader! Until the end of my turn... all of your unit's power, critical, drive, shield, and grades... are set to 0!"

Flapping her wings, Sagitta launched a storm of ice at Etou's units, freezing them in place.

Thegrea, Decisive Axe, Yscudyyd, and everyone else.... they became encased in ice while a blizzard roared between Etou and I.

I closed my eyes as I could hear the stadium fill with the sound of disapproval.

"So, this is your judgement... Takamine-san? (43000 > 0) (43000 > 0) (40000 > 0) (13000 > 0) (10000 > 0) (8000 > 0)"

Squeezing my eyes shut even further, I nodded.

"Once again, you're making that pained face. Is this... what you really wanted?"

"...please don't ask me such a difficult question."

I muttered under my breath, unsure if Etou even heard that.

I have to do what I have to do.

And if I'm hated or criticised for it, then I'll take responsibility and face it head on.

Because there's no running away from it now that I've shown it.

That was the trade off for having such a powerful Arcana.

I have to live with the consequences of using it.

There was no going back.

"Turn end."

Etou:
Hand: 9
Damage: 5
Energy: 0
XXX
XXX

Minoru:
Hand: 10
Damage: 4
Energy: 1
OXO
OXX

"Stand, draw, and charge! Become lost under the punishing moonlight and freeze to your death as you listen to the feathered diva's final judgment! Return to origin... Persona Ride my avatar, Absolute Zero, Sagitta! (13000 > 23000)"

The blizzard grew stronger, making snow pile up on our heads and shoulders.

"I energyblast 4 to give Sagitta +10k and a drive! (23000 > 33000/2d > 3d) I play Radiance Caliburn to draw 2! I call Yuika, Francette (10000 > 20000), and Arkha! (10000 > 20000) Both Yuika's skills, they get +5k! (8000 > 13000) (8000 > 13000) Claio's skill! I discard to give my front row rear-guards +5k! (20000 > 25000) (20000 > 25000) Let's take flight! Boosted by Yuika, Arkha attacks! Her skill, +10k! (25000 > 35000 > 48000)"

Etou tried to melt the cold away by warming her circuits, but the subzero temperature jammed them.

"Idosfaro, Over guard! (0 > 50000)"

She released a cold breath, white mist passing between her lips.

"Yuika's skill! I soulblast to bounce Arkha! Boosted by Claio, Sagitta attacks! (33000 > 41000/3d) Arkha's skill! She revives from drop! (10000 > 20000 > 25000) Let's return everything to absolute zero... go, Sagitta! Repent Wing Frenzy!"

"Palladium Zeal, perfect guard!"

"Triple Drive!!! (Fluffy Lady, Godelieve) Critical trigger! Power to Arkha, critical to Francette! (25000 > 35000) (25000/1 > 2) (Absolute Zero, Sagitta, Surreptitious Prayer Judge Maiden, Kraali) Boosted by Yuika, Francette attacks! Her skill, +5k! (25000 > 30000 > 48000/2)"

"Natilla, Volition, Blade Feather, and Chivalzerd guard! (0 > 15000 > 30000 > 45000) Chivalzerd's skill, he gets shield +5k! (45000 > 50000) Natilla goes to soul!"

"Yuika's skill! I soulblast to bounce Francette! Francette's skill, I bounce Yuika! Sagitta's skill, I discard to let Arkha attack! Her skill, +10k! (35000 > 45000) Arkha's skill, I energycharge! Sagitta's skill, I counterblast to draw!"

Etou took a deep breath as the blizzard howled in her direction, blotting her view of me and the night sky as fierce streaks of blurred white filled her vision.

"No guard. Damage check! (Epee De Justice, Thegrea)"

My eyes widened, putting a hand on my pounding chest.

"Did I do it...?"

Releasing that tense breath, Etou took off her Desire Specs, disengaging from the digital world.

"Indeed, you did... it's my loss. Good game, Takamine-san."

She extended her hand to me.

"Alright! Good game, Etou-san!"

With a grin, I shook her hand.

"You're shaking a lot more than I expected."

As we shook hands, Etou noticed I was trembling.

"Sorry, I think that's the adrenaline still pumping through me..."

She giggled at my response. Whether I was shaking from winning, the cold, or activating my Arcana— maybe even all three— the nervousness underpinning me was all too real.

"It seems in the end, I couldn't change the outcome... whether it be Bastion or Thegrea, I just can't seem to beat you, Takamine-san."

"Please don't say this experience is going to make you change decks again... I'd feel bad if I was responsible for it happening twice, you know?"

After all... even though I may have bested Etou here, I wasn't done with the finals just yet.

"That's what you're worried about? If anything, this just means the next time we cross paths, I'll have to try even harder to beat you."

"Heh, then bring it on! I welcome any and all rivalries, especially if they're as strong as you!"

There was one more person standing between me and victory.

Depending on the outcome of the next game, the situation could change drastically.

I could hear footsteps in the distance echoing towards us.

If I wanted to be crowned winner of the Tri-deity Circuit, I had to make it past them.

And this time, it was personal.

From the tunnel emerged the third finalist—

I couldn't afford to mess up against him—

<Commencing next game>

"...Agon Ikuto."

I looked over my shoulder, coming face to face with Agon.

"Takamine Minoru."

Staring into each others eyes, we spoke in unison.

"I will—"

"Get my revenge!"

"Deliver your death."

[GEN] Takamine Minoru vs [Alba] Agon Ikuto