Let's play cards! In a fantasy world of swords and magic

Black Hole, a celestial body with such immense gravitational pull that not even light can escape its event horizon.

And now, this concept, which should have been far removed from everyday life, was vividly displayed in the Shadow Game's duel field.

[Black Hole Spell Card Effect: Destroy all monsters on the field.]

A simple and brutal effect description, matched by an equally simple and brutal destructive force.

The two Elemental Hero monsters on Ilin's field were instantly sucked into the spiraling mass of light-devouring destruction, obliterated in an instant.

[Elemental Hero Heat] destroyed.

[Elemental Hero Burstinatrix] destroyed.

"My heroes… they're all gone…"

"Do you think only your heroes were destroyed? Little darling, this is a Shadow Game~"

In a Shadow Game, any damage is reflected on the duelist, including the light-devouring destruction of a black hole.

"Aaaaaaah!"

The excruciating pain of her body being torn apart made Ilin feel as though she were at the center of the darkness, on the verge of being crushed and consumed.

"Suffer, scream. I love watching little darlings like you, your soul, heart, and body, gradually fall apart."

With a strange sense of pleasure, Meigen watched Ilin's suffering, her cheeks flushed with excitement as she crossed her long legs.

As the massive magical energy of the black hole dissipated, Ilin's spirit was nearly shattered, her red eyes unfocused and lifeless.

Meigen smiled seductively. "Already broken? Though compared to my previous toys, you've lasted quite a while. I'll give you that. Now, it's time to end this duel."

Having cleared Ilin's field with the Spell Card [Black Hole], Meigen could now launch a direct attack this turn, as Ilin had no monsters left to defend herself.

"Let me show you my strongest monster. Spell Card [Polymerization], activate!"

Flicking the Spell Card from her fingertips, Meigen utilized Fusion Academy's most iconic summoning method, despite being a wandering barrier master in the darkness.

"I fuse the two monsters in my hand: [Summoned Skull] and the Dark-attribute [Curse of Dragon]."

The spiral effect spread across the field, sucking Meigen's two monster cards into it.

Two entirely different monsters fused into a single entity, and a new Fusion card materialized in the monster zone.

"Bring death and fear into the darkness! Fusion Summon—[Demon's Manifestation]!"

[Demon's Manifestation ★★★★★★ (6 stars) Dark]

[Fiend-Type/Fusion/Effect ATK: 2500 DEF: 1200]

["Summoned Skull" + 1 Dark-attribute monster.]

Raising its dark claws, crackling with black lightning, the fused form of Demon's Manifestation stood tall on Meigen's field.

"Attack power… 2500…"

Ilin struggled to stay conscious. Even if the duel wasn't over yet, losing consciousness here would mean total defeat.

Ilin LP: 2600

That's right, the duel wasn't over yet.

A direct attack from a 2500 ATK monster wouldn't be enough to wipe out her remaining 2600 life points.

Ilin clung to a sliver of hope—or perhaps, just wishful thinking.

"Little darling, do you know that the deepest despair comes when the tiniest hope is crushed? The effect of Fusion Monster [Demon's Manifestation]: While this card is on the field, all Fiend-Type monsters gain 500 ATK, including this card itself!"

[Demon's Manifestation ATK: 2500 → 3000]

Surrounded by amplified dark lightning, the fused Demon's Manifestation now boasted an attack power rivaling that of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"Attack power… rose to 3000… Damn it…"

Even the strength to clench her fists was gone. Trapped in the depths of despair, Ilin could only feel a profound sense of helplessness.

Was she going to lose?

This time, it was because of her own recklessness that Aisha had been dragged into the Shadow Game.

And this time, there was no one to shoulder the burden for her.

("Leave it to me, Lin.")

She had sworn to become a hero who could stand in for Ed.

"I'm so useless… In the end, I couldn't protect anyone…"

Her will to fight crumbling, Ilin's slender body swayed unsteadily, as if she might collapse into the darkness of the Shadow Game at any moment.

"Lin! Hang in there, Lin!"

From a distance, You Ling, following the light of the Millennium Puzzle, had already started getting used to using a girl's body for intense physical activity.

"That voice… Little Ai… No, it must be You Ling…"

Aisha usually called her 'Lin-chan,' but when You Ling took control of Aisha's body, he casually called her 'Lin.'

"Even though he's an annoying guy, he keeps protecting Little Ai… How enviable…"

Was she envious of You Ling for being able to protect Aisha, or envious of Aisha for having someone to protect her? In her hazy state, Ilin couldn't tell.

But knowing that Aisha was safe, even as she teetered on the edge of consciousness, gave Ilin a small sense of relief.

"How is this possible?"

Seeing Aisha Carlos, Meigen was so shocked that she momentarily forgot to continue her attack, giving Ilin a brief moment to catch her breath.

"She shouldn't have been able to escape the barrier I set up. Did… Did Decule lose the Shadow Game? With [Demon's Descent] in his possession, how could he lose to a mere academy student?"

Though she didn't know how Aisha had escaped the barrier, the fact that Aisha was still able to move freely suggested that the one who had lost the Shadow Game was Meigen's own companion.

"He must have gotten careless because she was just a student. Truly, stupidity is incurable."

In Meigen's mind, Decule had undoubtedly lost due to overconfidence. He probably hadn't even summoned his ace card, [Demon's Descent].

"Good thing I'm not that kind of fool. Even when facing a rabbit, a lion uses its full strength. I won't hold back at all."

The [Demon's Manifestation] ready to deliver the final blow, and Ilin's shattered mental state, were proof of Meigen's ruthless decisiveness.

"Once I finish off this red-haired little darling, it'll be your turn, white-haired little darling."

"Hang in there, Lin!"

Arriving at the edge of the Shadow Game, You Ling immediately noticed that Ilin's physical condition was dire.

This was likely what the black-robed man had mentioned earlier—ordinary students' mental strength couldn't last more than two turns in a Shadow Game.

But due to the barrier of the Shadow Game, outsiders couldn't interfere with the duel once it had begun.

Even Aisha's body was blocked by the hazy black mist surrounding the game.

"I guess there's only one way… It's up to you, Aisha!"

—Soul Swap.

In this critical moment, You Ling returned control of the body to Aisha.

"Huh? What am I supposed to do now, Mr. You Ling?"

Suddenly thrust into a life-or-death situation, Aisha was flustered and unsure.

"Throw the Millennium Puzzle to Lin. If I'm not mistaken, it should be able to pass through the Shadow Game's barrier."

To be continued...