Humans are very simple, easy-to-understand creatures.
People work hard and earn money because they want to live better lives.
People seek attention from others, so they try to stand out.
Dale Carnegie once mentioned in How to Win Friends and Influence People that most of what people do is simply an unconscious attempt to satisfy their own desires.
Even Hoshino herself entered online duels for the sake of earning Saint Quartz to obtain new cards.
—and the desire to win belongs to Zane.
The difference between Kaiba, who is just as obsessively fixated on victory, and Zane lies in the fact that Kaiba never avoids it—he pursues victory openly and with everything he has.
No matter how many times he loses, as long as the fire of victory continues to burn within him, Kaiba will never lose himself.
But Zane is different. Due to the philosophy of the Cyber Style he was trained in from childhood—placing respect for one's opponent and their cards above all else—he ended up suppressing his own pursuit of victory.
That kind of personality may seem a bit awkward, but at a glance, it doesn't appear to be a serious problem.
However, as contradictions accumulate over countless duels, when Zane suffers a crushing defeat against an evenly matched opponent, the eruption of negative emotions could very well drag him into a downward spiral of conflict and leave him unable to recover.
…
"Continuous Spell Card Future Fusion—effect activated. This turn, I can Fusion Summon Cyber End Dragon using materials from my Deck!"
A fusion light that transcended the bounds of time shone across Zane's field.
The Continuous Spell Future Fusion sends the materials required for a Fusion Monster from the Deck to the Graveyard, then Fusion Summons that monster during the user's second Standby Phase.
[Cyber End Dragon ATK 4000]
"So you've finally fused Cyber End Dragon. I've been waiting for this."
On Hoshino Alter's field, there was only an Attack Position Cú Chulainn, one set card in the back row, and a search-use Marie in the Graveyard.
"Instructor, are you trying to use Cú Chulainn's once-per-turn damage immunity while in Attack Position to dodge Cyber End Dragon's attack? But if I add this card…"
After Fusion Summoning Cyber End Dragon, Zane immediately played another Spell.
"—Spell Card activated: Cyber Revsystem!"
[Cyber Revsystem – Spell Effect: Special Summon 1 "Cyber Dragon" from your hand or GY. It cannot be destroyed by card effects.]
"I use Cyber Revsystem to revive a 'Cyber Dragon' that was used as Fusion Material from my Graveyard—and it can't be destroyed by effects!"
[Cyber Dragon ATK 2100]
"And then I activate the Continuous Spell Swords of Concealing Light!"
Pitch-black blades of concealment materialized and stabbed across Hoshino Alter's entire field, sealing Cú Chulainn and forcing a change in its battle posture.
"As part of Swords of Concealing Light's activation, all monsters on my opponent's field are turned face-down Defense Position!"
Two Cyber Dragons—four mechanical dragon heads—fixed their cold gazes on the Cú Chulainn on Hoshino Alter's field.
Zane's strategy was simple and brutal: use Swords of Concealing Light to force Cú Chulainn into Defense Position, preventing it from activating its once-per-turn invincibility tied to Attack Position; then destroy it with the two Cyber Dragons, while using Cyber End Dragon's piercing effect to deal massive damage.
"Go, Cyber Dragon! Attack the face-down monster!"
A monster with mere defensive stats couldn't possibly withstand the ferocious assault of a 2100-ATK Cyber Dragon.
[Heroic Spirit – Cú Chulainn destroyed]
"I know," Zane declared. "Instructor—after Cú Chulainn is destroyed, it has one chance to revive. But my Cyber End Dragon still hasn't attacked. And Cyber End Dragon's attack can pierce defense to deal damage directly!"
Picking up Cú Chulainn's card and sending it straight to the Graveyard, Hoshino Alter unexpectedly chose not to activate its revival effect.
"Rest easy, Lancer. Dying once this duel is more than enough~"
Zane frowned deeply.
"So you didn't revive Cú Chulainn because it would be destroyed by Cyber End Dragon anyway? Instructor—are you underestimating me?"
Even if defeat was inevitable, reviving Cú Chulainn as a shield would have reduced the damage Shiroboshi took by 1600.
Having always followed the teachings of the Cyber Style and upheld respect for his opponents, Zane attacked with everything he had in every duel.
That was why he couldn't understand Hoshino's apparent mercy. In the previous duel, she declared she would win using only one card; this time, she didn't even revive her monster.
"Underestimating you? No. Everything I'm doing is for the sake of victory."
With her arms crossed, Hoshino Alter stared straight at Cyber End Dragon, a mysterious curve forming at the corner of her lips.
"Victory!"
The word struck Zane's heart instantly.
"That's right, Instructor. If everything is for victory…"
Slamming the Quick-Play Spell from his hand into the Duel Disk, Zane unleashed Cyber End Dragon's final offensive.
"Then what lies before me now is my chance to win!—Quick-Play Spell activated: Limiter Removal!"
[Limiter Removal – Quick-Play Spell Effect: Double the ATK of all Machine monsters you currently control until the end of this turn. During the End Phase of this turn, destroy those monsters.]
[Cyber End Dragon ATK 4000 → 8000]
"If you don't revive Cú Chulainn, there's no way you can withstand this direct attack from Cyber End Dragon, Instructor!"
"Limiter Removal for the finishing blow… that really is your style, Zane."
Flipping over the set card beneath her feet, everything unfolding exactly as she had calculated, Hoshino Alter declared her counterattack:
"But this is precisely why I sent Cú Chulainn to the Graveyard in the first place. My face-down Trap Card activates—Alter Campaign!"
[Alter Campaign – Trap Card Effect: You can activate this card by targeting 3 monsters with the same Attribute in your GY and/or your opponent's GY (you can select at most 1 from your opponent's GY). Banish those 3 monsters, then Special Summon 1 "Alter" monster from your hand, ignoring its Summoning conditions.]
"I banish Cú Chulainn (LIGHT) and Marie Antoinette (LIGHT) from my Graveyard, along with Cyber Dragon (LIGHT) from your Graveyard, Zane. Ignoring its Summoning conditions, I Special Summon from my hand—Heroic Spirit – Mash Kyrielight Alter Attack Type!"
The Swords of Concealing Light embedded across Hoshino Alter's field forced all monsters present at the time of its activation to be turned face-down Defense Position—but monsters summoned afterward were no longer affected by that effect.
[Heroic Spirit – Mash Kyrielight Alter Attack Type ★★★★★ (Level 5)]
[DARK][Warrior/Effect][ATK 1000/DEF 2000]
Wrapped in the energy of the world's evils, Mash—now in her inverted Alter form—appeared on the field, wielding a demonic lance.
"Senpai, selling off Lancer without hesitation like that scores pretty high in my book~"
["As expected of my corrupted kouhai—very sadistic."]
Slamming Mash Alter onto the Duel Disk, Hoshino Alter declared:
"Alter Attack Type's effect! As long as this card is on the field, during the Battle Phase, all monsters on your field that can attack must attack!"
"Even without your coercion, Instructor, I won't give up this attack opportunity!"
Without retracting his attack declaration despite the change on the field, Zane continued Cyber End Dragon's assault.
"Even with 2000 extra DEF, Cyber End Dragon's attack will still deal up to 6000 damage!"
"That's exactly why I say—you've still got a long way to go!"
Hoshino Alter immediately activated Mash Alter's effect. Within the blazing evolutionary flames of Cyber End Dragon, a jet-black beam of reversal suddenly pierced through.
[Once per turn, when an opponent's monster declares an attack: You can Tribute 1 monster you control; destroy that attacking monster.]
The shield of a guardian Heroic Spirit—after being corroded and inverted by darkness—transformed into a spear that absorbed Heroic Spirit power and pierced through everything.
"This is when you use it… come forth—Heroic Spirit – Saint George!
When an opponent's monster declares an attack, this card can be Special Summoned from the hand!
Then I use Mash Alter's effect to Tribute him!"
["You're even more ruthless than I am. I usually only sell off Sir George to block attacks occasionally—you summoned him and sacrificed him without a second thought."]
"Aibo, this is a necessary sacrifice! Heroic Spirit – Mash Alter—after tributing Saint George, destroy the attacking monster!"
"Ooooooh—!
'This is the hazy spear of chaos and corruption!'"
A single thrust infused with Saint George's golden spirit—spiraling black magical energy roared from the tip of Mash Alter's lance, pulverizing Cyber End Dragon's mechanical body along with all three of its heads.
[Cyber End Dragon destroyed]
"And when Mash Alter destroys an opponent's monster by effect, it inflicts damage equal to that monster's ATK…
After Limiter Removal, Cyber End Dragon's ATK was 8000!"
By presenting an empty field, she baited Zane into going for an OTK, tricked him into activating Limiter Removal, and then finished with a reverse OTK using Mash Alter's effect.
"8000 points of direct damage. This—that—is my strategy for pursuing victory, Zane!"
[Zane LP 8000 → 0]
"I… lost again…"
And this time, even more decisively than before. Hoshino Alter never held back the way Hoshino sometimes did out of consideration for her students. From the very beginning, this duel had been aimed at total victory.
["You said you were going to train him in Xyz Summoning—this is just straight-up bullying the academy's king."]
"Aibo, teaching him a new summoning method matters less than forcing him to face himself. And as for the 'academy king'…"
Looking directly at Zane, Hoshino Alter spoke bluntly:
"Zane—at your current level, beating Jaden or Akasha would already be a stretch."
She wasn't exaggerating to intimidate him.
Against Akasha's heavy, trap-focused tactics, Kaiser's all-in offensive style would be a dead end.
And as for Jaden—while he and Zane were both aggressive duelists, Jaden possessed far greater resilience. Even when faced with unexpected situations, he could adapt by exploiting Fusion synergies between his HERO monsters.
"If you lose to Jaden from the Red Dorm in the upcoming dormitory battle—and even lose your title as king—is that what you want?"
"Failure? No. I don't want to fail. Losing would make everything meaningless," Zane answered firmly.
Losing to Hoshino, he could console himself by saying it was the gap between himself and a Duel King.
But losing to another student—that was something Zane absolutely could not accept.
"That's the attitude! Let's keep dueling! No matter how many matches you want, I'll stay with you until you're satisfied!"
The duels—and Zane's hellish special training—continued nonstop. Since Hoshino Alter was doing this, there had to be a reason, and Hoshino chose not to question it further.
"Heroic Spirit – Martha's special effect, 'Holy Fist Judgment'! Cyber Dragon destroyed!"
"Heroic Spirit – Emiya Alter's special effect, 'Unlimited Lost Works'! Cyber End Dragon destroyed!"
"Heroic Spirit – Spartacus's special effect, 'Roar of the Wounded Beast'! Your last Life Points—destroyed!"
If Hoshino saw anything after that, it was only the endless suffering of the academy king, Zane—being stylishly, repeatedly beaten down.
"Not enough! Let's duel again, Instructor!"
["At this rate, I'm not sure he'll learn to face himself… he might awaken some very strange preferences instead."]
As if responding to Hoshino's inner doubts, the system notification sounded at just the right moment.
[Duelist Rank Evaluation Complete
Duelist: Zane Truesdale
Overall Rank: A
Duplicate Saint Quartz detected – reward reduced
Saint Quartz awarded: 10
Remaining Saint Quartz: 32]
"He actually… ranked up?" Hoshino said in surprise.
From Hoshino's perspective, Kaiser had simply been getting brutalized—but the system's evaluation told a different story. Zane had gone from A– to A rank through those duels.
Hell Zane—ranking up online.
And of course, Hoshino's own rank rose alongside him.
[World's Number One Eggplant – Rank 5]
Hoshino Alter—ranking up online.
"Perfect timing—I've got exactly enough for another ten-pull. Since we're free anyway, let's test this whole 'Zane's resolve Saint Quartz' superstition again."
Inside the space of the Pyramid of Light, Hoshino decisively pressed the ten-pull button, wanting to see whether this bit of mysticism actually worked.
Reality, however, proved that fate favors neither the unlucky nor the spender. After the ten-pull, not even a rainbow glow—nor even a gold four-star light—appeared.
Still, unlike yesterday's utterly useless pulls, this ten-pull wasn't completely barren. One Spell Card she had never seen before caught Hoshino's eye.
[Rank-Up Magic – Holy Grail Command Seal
Target 1 "Heroic Spirit" Xyz Monster in your GY; Special Summon it, then Special Summon from your Extra Deck, by overlaying it on that monster, 1 "Heroic Spirit" Xyz Monster whose Rank is 1 higher than the targeted monster.]
"A support Spell for Xyz Heroic Spirits… Rank-Up Magic!"
Just reading the effect, Hoshino could already sense how powerful this card was.
For example, after reviving a Rank 7 Okita Xyz Monster from the Graveyard, she could directly overlay and Xyz Summon a Rank 8 Oda Nobunaga on top of it.
At that point, the Rank 7 Okita Xyz Monster would become material for the Rank 8 Nobunaga, stacked neatly beneath her.
"No wonder Da Vinci personally said the pull rate was only 0.5%.
Turns out this banner has more than just Heroic Spirits in it."