LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Urgent! Are cards with different names but identical effects considered as alternate art?
"Alright, it's my turn now. Draw card." Kiritsugu Emiya followed the rules and drew cards until he had six in his hand.
The continuous spell effect also triggered.
Looking at the swirling black mud, Jiang You reminded him, "Due to the Corrupted Holy Grail, both of us have taken 1000 LP damage."
Jiang You's LP: 4000 → 3000
Kiritsugu Emiya's LP: 4000 → 3000
Both let out simultaneous pained groans.
"Indeed, a concept from the past... It truly is... nostalgic," Kiritsugu Emiya said, adjusting his breathing. He looked at the cards in his hand and wore an expression of sorrow. "But it's precisely because of this that my starting point came to be. I Normal Summon: [Shirley]!"
Shirley ★ Caster
Tuner/Effect
Attack: 500
A girl from the southern country, dressed in a white dress, slowly appeared on the field. She spun around, curiously examining her surroundings.
"What a strange dream. But it feels so real. Sir, do we know each other?" she asked, her gaze fixed on Kiritsugu, feeling as though he was familiar to her.
Facing his childhood sweetheart, Kiritsugu opened his mouth but forcefully suppressed the urge to reminisce about the past. Gritting his teeth, he continued with his plan.
"Activating Shirley's effect, when this card is normally summoned, I can special summon one normal level one Emiya card from my deck . I special summon 'Emiya Kiritsugu (Young)' in defense mode!"
Emiya Kiritsugu (Young) ★ Master Normal Defense: 400
"It's not Lily?!" Jiang You protested, clearly dissatisfied.
"Oh, Kiritsugu!" Shirley seemed genuinely delighted at the sight of the boy materializing before her. Encountering a familiar face in such unfamiliar surroundings was indeed comforting.
"Hey, Shirley-nee." The hedgehog-headed boy, looking dazed and half-asleep, scratched his head in confusion. "Wasn't I just sleeping?"
"Synchro Summon using Shirley and Emiya Kiritsugu (Young)!" Without giving them a chance to catch up, Kiritsugu immediately moved to the next step. He found himself uttering words he hadn't even imagined before: "The mistakes of the devotee shall ignite a flame; the path of justice sprouts henceforth. Appear, Shirley (Dead Apostle)!"
Shirley (Dead Apostle) - ★★
Type: Effect Monster
Attribute: Berserker
Level: Synchro/Tuner/Effect
ATK: 1,200
The two figures transformed into white light, forming a possessed figure that radiated an aura of madness.
While Jiang You maintained his performance, he didn't forget to mentally taunt Kiritsugu Emiya, finding this interactive NPC truly intriguing. "As expected from the Champion of Justice—you're decisive enough to make your pure ideal repeat the tragedies of the past. You're truly unmatched when it comes to being heartless."
"Next, I activate the spell card Champion of Justice. When this card is activated, you can Special Summon one 'Emiya' monster card from your hand or Graveyard. Naturally, I will summon Kiritsugu Emiya from my hand!"
[Kiritsugu Emiya]
Rating: ★★★★
Master Effect:
Attack Power 1600
No sooner had Kiritsugu finished speaking than he found himself teleported to the battle area—the zone where Servant cards reside.
"Oh, I get it now!" Recognizing the scene, Jiang You forcefully slammed his own hand in realization. "So you're all Duel Spirits, huh!"
"Wait... What do you mean by that?" Kiritsugu sensed a hint of foreboding, a bad premonition slowly seeping out from his heart.
"In other words, these summoned Servants are real entities—either people or beings—in their own right. Drawing from Shirley and your younger self's conversation earlier, Duels can pull them from different timelines." Jiang You marveled at the crossover design's unrestrained audacity. "If you don't believe me, ask Illya if she's a real person—oh wait, an artificial human."
"Of course I'm real!" Illya retorted indignantly, her ruby-like pupils fixed intently on Kiritsugu Emiya. "Not only that, but I'm also here to give that traitor what for!"
"Excellent! Let's take him down!" Jiang You rallied, invoking the power of friendship and camaraderie (a one-sided description).
"As for me, I..." Kiritsugu staggered slightly, then stammered, "Even if that's the case, even if that's how it is..."
Kiritsugu Emiya quickly composed himself, steadied his stance, and continued the duel. "But that's just your side of the story! I'll use the effect of my hand card, [Maiya Hisau]. When a Servant with 'Emiya' in its name is on the field, this card can be Special Summoned. Come, Maiya."
[Maiya Hisau] ★★ Assassin | Effect: Atk 1000
"Kiritsugu?"
Upon landing, Maiya immediately assumed a fighting stance. After glancing around with her peripheral vision, she tightened her grip on her pistol and aimed it at Jiang You, who was standing opposite Kiritsugu. However, something else caught her attention even more quickly.
"A Dead Apostle!" She immediately pulled the trigger, but only a few sharp clicks sounded.
"Don't be nervous, Maiya. For now, Shirley can be considered an ally; I have complete control over her," Kiritsugu Emiya explained, then softly asked Maiya a few strange questions. After receiving her answers, his expression darkened.
This was a secret code Kiritsugu had shared with the other party, recently updated. This Maiya Hisau was very likely the real one.
The verification process was quite simple: after the duel, he just needed to compare information with Maiya.
"Let's move to the combat phase! [Shirley (Dead Apostle)] attacks [Illyasviel von Einzbern]!"
The Dead Apostle-transformed Shirley let out a bestial roar as she charged at Illya.
How cold-blooded! Sending a Dead Apostle to bite her? You'd really do this to your own daughter? Couldn't you at least be gentler? Why not have Maiya Hisau shoot instead?
"You should know her effect since we're using the same deck. When Shirley (Dead Apostle) destroys an opponent's Servant Card in battle, she generates a 1000/1000 Undead Token on her field. With only 3000 LP left, you're already in the Kill Zone."
"Too hasty. Activate Trap Card [Support Fire]! When an opponent's monster declares an attack, target one attacking monster and destroy it."
A gunshot echoed from the corner. The sniper round sent Shirley straight to the graveyard.
The shooter's figure—identical to Maiya Hisau—was fading away.
"You should've attacked personally. When [Kiritsugu Emiya] is sent to the graveyard by effect, you can add an [Origin Bullet] from your deck to your hand, right? You're too fixated on finishing me. These are your own trap cards—you should know them better." Jiang You marveled at the NPC's beginner-level incompetence, unable to even feint counters, when suddenly something caught his attention.
Isn't the effect of this card a bit too familiar?
"It's not over yet! Maiya Hisau, continue attacking Illyasviel von Einzbern!" Watching Jiang You's cold sweat, Kiritsugu felt inexplicably certain of victory.