Hello again. You already know who this is by now.
To recap what happened? Jaden did a stupid.
Normally that wouldn't be surprising. Jaden being an airhead was practically a defining trait. The guy did dumb things all the time, and most of the time it was exactly what people expected from him.
But this time felt different.
This wasn't the usual "head-empty, vibes-only" kind of stupidity he usually does on a daily basis.
No... This was something far more confusing.
As It was something that could be considered, 'Out-of-Character' for Jaden.
"Uh… sorry if this sounds rude," Jaden had said while scratching the back of his head and giving the girls a sheepish smile, "but… are you sure you want to tag duel against me and Mash?"
Mash's head snapped toward him so fast that his neck nearly cracked.
[JADEN. WHAT?!]
The girls looked just as confused as Mash felt, which meant the situation needed damage control immediately. Without giving anyone time to react, Mash forced a friendly grin onto his face, grabbed Jaden around the shoulders in a half-headlock, and smoothly pivoted them both away from the dock.
"Excuse us for a second!" Mash announced sweetly while dragging Jaden several steps away from the others.
Once they were far enough that the girls couldn't hear them clearly, Mash leaned in close and lowered his voice into an irritated hiss.
"Jaden..." he muttered sharply, "What the hell was that man!? That was so not like you at all!"
Jaden blinked at him in confusion, clearly not understanding the issue.
"Not like me?" he repeated.
"Yeah! I mean- uh- what I meant was... it's not like the first impression I had of you!" Mash flailed one hand dramatically while trying to explain. "I thought you were the happy-go-lucky golden retriever type who starts wagging his tail whenever someone says the word 'duel!'"
Jaden narrowed his eyes slightly. "You... think of me as a dog?"
"It's called a hyperbole, Jaden."
"...What's a hyperbole?"
Mash closed his eyes and dragged a hand down his face.
"God fucking dangit..." he muttered under his breath before refocusing on the problem. "Look, that's not the point! What I meant is that It's not like you to hesitate to a duel! Why are you suddenly acting hesitant?"
Jaden didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced briefly toward the girls waiting by the dock before looking back at Mash with an unusually thoughtful expression.
"Well… the truth is, Mash." he admitted slowly, "your deck... just isn't very fun to play against."
Mash stared at him as if Jaden had just declared the sky was green. "Wha-wha-what? Explain."
"No offense, Mash. But your deck's kinda... brutal. Like, I couldn't even do anything when I dueled you!" Jaden sighed and held up his fingers, counting as he spoke.
"I'd summon a monster? Trap Hole. I'd try to attack? Mirror Force or Magic Cylinder. I tried Fusion Summoning with Polymerization? Dimensional Barrier! I do nothing and suddenly you Lovely Labrynth destroyed a card in my hand!"
He lowered his hand and shrugged helplessly.
"Dueling you just feels like… I don't even get to play."
Mash stared at him flatly for a few seconds before sighing.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he muttered. "I know my deck's cancer. Probably better than anyone."
Jaden laughed awkwardly, clearly relieved that Mash hadn't taken offense.
"I'm not saying it's bad!" he added quickly. "It's just… really brutal. And I kinda don't want them to experience that."
Mash raised an eyebrow.
"Jaden." he said dryly, "you met Alexis literally yesterday, and you've never even spoken to the other two! For what reason should you be so kind to them like they're out friends!?"
Jaden simply smiled in that annoyingly sincere way of his. "That doesn't mean they can't be future friends, right?"
Mash let out a long, defeated sigh.
"Fine..." he said while rubbing his temples. "Get to the point. What do you want from me?"
Jaden met his eyes with a slightly more serious expression.
"You trusted me earlier when I asked you to wait instead of rushing to save Syrus, right?" he said calmly, pointing a finger at himself. "So how about you return the favor this time?"
Mash stared at Jaden for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the suggestion.
"You... want me to back out of the 2v2?" he asked, his tone hovering somewhere between confusion and suspicion.
Jaden immediately shook his head, waving both hands in a hurried denial as if afraid Mash had taken the idea the wrong way.
"No, no, no! That's not what I meant," he said quickly, leaning forward with an easygoing grin. "You're still dueling with me. I just mean… maybe don't go all-out this time. Sit back a little and let me handle it."
Mash chuckled.
"So what you're saying..." he said slowly, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk. "is that Jaden Yuki over here wants to hog all the spotlight all to himself."
Jaden didn't even try to deny it. If anything, his grin only widened, bright and unapologetic. "Hey, it's better than letting you duel seriously and completely shatter their spirits."
"Or make them cry." Mash added casually.
The two of them shared a quiet laugh, shoulders shaking slightly as they tried, and failed to keep it subtle. Behind them, however, the girls standing several steps away were clearly not amused, and Mash could felt them glaring daggers at his back.
The moment didn't last long before Mindy called out at them sharply. "Hey! Are you two going to stop whispering and start the duel already!?"
Mash glanced back over his shoulder toward the girls, raising a hand in a casual gesture. "Just a second!" he called out lazily before turning back toward Jaden.
"Alright," Mash said after a brief pause, exhaling through his nose as if conceding the point.
"I'll sit this one out and let you take the lead." His eyes narrowed slightly, though, and he jabbed a finger lightly toward Jaden's chest to emphasize his next words. "But if things start going to shit, I'm jumping straight into the shit pile and dragging you out myself. Got it?"
Jaden nodded with a grin. "Good enough. Thanks, man."
"But..." Mash added, tapping open his invisible system window, "I would like a little insurance."
Jaden tilted his head slightly in confusion as Mash's fingers flicked through the glowing system window of the Master Duel interface, his expression focused as he navigated menus only he had access to.
With a satisfied nod, he reached toward his deck and pulled out three cards, holding them between his fingers before extending them toward Jaden.
"Here." he said casually. "Just in case you feel like bullying those girls a little harder."
Jaden accepted the cards without hesitation. The moment he looked at them, his eyes widened dramatically, lighting up with pure excitement.
He stared at them like a kid who had just unwrapped the perfect Christmas present. "Whoa! These are awesome!" he said, his voice rising with genuine enthusiasm. "Thanks, Mash!"
As he admired the cards, Mash turned back to the girls and smirked. "Alright, let's get this duel started, shall we?"
Alexis's gaze shifted briefly toward Jaden, who was still examining the cards Mash had given him with clear fascination.
"What did you give him?" she asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Nothing for you to worry about," Mash replied casually without missing a beat. The relaxed tone of his voice made the lie sound effortless. Then he tilted his head slightly and glanced between the girls.
"So… who'll be your partner?"
"Pick me, Alexis!" Jasmine shouted as she immediately raised her hand with an eager grin, practically bouncing with excitement as she stepped forward.
Her eyes burned with competitive determination as she pointed straight at Mash. "I want to crush that arrogant guy so bad! He'll drown in it!"
Alexis let out a quiet sigh. "Alright, Jasmine. You're with me."
Beside them, Mindy puffed out her cheeks in disappointment, crossing her arms with a small pout. "Aw… I wanted to duel."
"So…" Mash tilted his head slightly, glancing around the area with mild curiosity. "where's this duel even happening?"
Alexis lifted her arm and pointed toward the far side of a nearby cliff that overlooked the water.
"Back there," she said calmly. "We'll be dueling on top of our boats."
Mash blinked in confusion, clearly not expecting that answer. "Hold up." he said slowly, pointing down at the dock beneath their feet, "why not just duel right here?"
Alexis met his gaze directly, her expression completely serious. "Unless you want another Obelisk Girl spotting you and immediately expel you for trespassing..." she said flatly, "be my guest."
Mash froze for a second as he raised an eyebrow.
[So that's why they dueled on a boat in this episode...]
"Alright, alright," Mash said with a small sigh as he raised both hands in surrender. "Let's go."
Then he turned toward Jaden, arching a brow. "You done reading those card effects yet?"
"Yep!" Jaden replied immediately, still buzzing with excitement as he slipped the cards into his deck. "These cards are amazing! Where did you even get them?"
Mash froze ever so slightly.
A small bead of sweat formed at the side of his temple.
"Event..." he answered after a brief pause.
Jaden lifted an eyebrow skeptically. "What kind of event?"
"Forget that!" Mash blurted out a little too quickly, pointing dramatically toward the boat tied to the dock. "Just row the damn boat toward the cliff! That's where we're dueling!"
Jaden gave Mash a suspicious look, clearly sensing that Mash was hiding something. Still, he didn't push the issue. With an easy shrug, he grabbed the paddles and stepped into the boat.
Before he could push away from the dock, Alexis's voice rang out again from behind them.
"Oh, and don't forget about your friend here."
Without any warning, she shoved Syrus forward.
The smaller boy stumbled helplessly and nearly lost his balance as he tumbled straight into the boat, catching himself just before he could fall over the edge.
Mash couldn't help laughing at the sight. Leaning forward, he reached out and casually ruffled Syrus's hair with a teasing grin.
"Hey, Syrus! Good to see ya!" he said with obvious amusement, "how was your big adventure in the girls' dorm?"
Syrus immediately looked down, his face turning bright red as embarrassment flooded his expression. "Ugh…"
"Don't tease him like that, Mash." Jaden said sharply, frowning at him. "He already went through enough today."
Syrus blinked in surprise and looked up at Jaden, clearly touched by the unexpected defense. "Jay…"
Jaden simply smiled back at him before tossing one of the paddles into his hands. "Now help me row this boat, Sy!"
Syrus stared at the paddle with a flat, unimpressed expression, but he didn't argue. With a quiet sigh, he sat beside Jaden and dipped the paddle into the water. The two of them began rowing together, pushing the boat away from the dock and guiding it slowly toward the hidden side of the cliff.
A few minutes later, the boat drifted gently to a stop behind the rocky outcrop.
The water was calm, reflecting the fading light as the two boats faced each other across a short distance. Mash, Jaden, and Syrus stood on one side, while Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine waited on the other. One by one, their duel disks activated with the sound of the duel blades opening.
Alexis stood tall and composed, her usual calm aura firmly in place. Jasmine, on the other hand, looked fired up and impatient, shifting her weight eagerly as if she could hardly wait for the duel to begin.
"Good luck, both of you!" Syrus said with a nervous but supportive smile.
Mash chuckled softly and waved dismissively. "Save the good luck for Jaden, Sy." he said as he leaned back slightly as he sat down on the boat, clearly relaxed. "I'll be sitting this one out."
Syrus turned toward him so quickly that he nearly lost his balance.
"WHAT!?" he blurted, staring at Mash like he had just announced he was quitting dueling forever.
Jaden, however, only grinned wider, his confidence completely unshaken. He rested a hand on his deck and glanced toward the opposing boat with excitement sparkling in his eyes.
"Don't worry, Sy..." he said cheerfully. "With the cards Mash gave me, I'll win this duel solo!"
Syrus looked like he was about to leap overboard and swim home, but I placed a hand on his shoulder before he did anything crazy.
"Relax," Mash said in a steady voice, giving the smaller boy a reassuring squeeze. "Just trust Jaden, alright? I'll explain everything after we survive this shitpile."
Syrus hesitated. His shoulders tensed for a moment as he looked back toward Jaden, clearly struggling between fear and faith. After a few seconds, he slowly nodded. The doubt in his eyes hadn't completely vanished, but there was a quiet belief that maybe, just maybe, things would work out.
Mash withdrew his hand and shifted his attention toward Jaden.
Jaden glanced back at him and flashed that unmistakable grin of his, the same confident, carefree smile that seemed to say trust me, bro without needing any actual words. Mash couldn't help letting out a short breath through his nose as he returned the look with a small nod of acknowledgment.
Across the water, Jasmine had clearly run out of patience.
"Hey!" she shouted, placing her hands on her hips as she glared across the gap between the boats. "Are you guys done with your little pep talk already? I swear, boys are such slow creatures."
Mash leaned slightly toward the edge of the boat, cupping one hand near his mouth as he called back with a smirk. "We're ready when you are!"
Alexis studied them carefully, her eyes narrowing just a little as if she were trying to read something beneath their casual confidence. "Is that so...? Then let's begin this duel."
The moment the words left her mouth, all four duelists raised their voice in unison.
"DUEL!"
Their duel disks lit up simultaneously, projecting bright holographic displays across the water as their life points appeared in glowing numbers.
{Mash & Jaden LP: 8000|Alexis & Jasmine LP: 8000}
Each of them drew cards until they held five in their hands. The faint sound of shuffling and sliding cards filled the quiet air as everyone examined their opening hands.
Everyone except Jaden.
"I'll go first!" he declared confidently.
Mash raised his hand and gave him a quick thumbs-up. [Nice one, Jay!]
Jaden held up a V-sign without even looking at him.
Alexis crossed her arms, watching the exchange with a measured look. "Since Jaden's taking the first turn," she said calmly, "we'll establish the turn order. I'll go second, then Mash, then Jasmine."
Mash shrugged lightly. "Mmm. Sounds good to me."
Jasmine, however, puffed out her cheeks in mild frustration. "Aww, I'm going last?"
"Alright!" Jaden announced as he drew his sixth card. His eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced over his hand, studying it for barely a moment before making his move. "Since it's my turn, I'll draw!"
Without hesitation, he slid a card into the slot of his duel disk.
"I summon {Elemental HERO Sparkman} in attack mode! Then I'll end my turn!"
A flash of light burst from the projection field, and a tall armored warrior materialized above the water's surface. Electricity crackled along the hero's metallic gauntlets as he struck a dramatic stance.
{Elemental HERO Sparkman|4 Star|light|Warrior/normal|ATK: 1600 DEF:1400}
{Jaden Hand: 5 cards|Jaden field: 1 monster}
Mash stared at the field for a moment.
Then he stared a little longer.
His expression slowly twisted into mild disbelief.
[What the fuck, Jaden?] he thought internally, barely keeping his composure. [Did you brick?]
Alexis raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Is that all, Jaden? And here I was expecting a real show, considering Mash gave you some cards."
She drew her card smoothly.
"My turn. I'll summon {Etoile Cyber} in attack mode and set one card. That's all."
A sleek warrior woman clad in a futuristic bodysuit appeared above the water in a flash of light. A single face-down card materialized behind her, hovering ominously.
{Etoile Cyber|4 Star|Earth|Warrior/effect|ATK: 1200 DEF:1600}
{Alexis Hands: 4 cards|Alexis field: 1 monster, 1 set card}
Mash watched the field quietly, the corners of his lips beginning to curl upward.
"My turn, Draw!" he said casually as he drew a card from his deck.
As he examined it, he noticed Alexis glancing toward him again. Her expression was composed, but something about the slight tension in her posture gave her away.
Mash's smile widened into something far more mischievous.
"What's the matter, Alexis?" he asked lightly. "You look tense."
Alexis didn't look away from him.
"Of course I'm nervous..." she admitted, her tone tight despite her attempt to stay calm. "I'm about to see that monster of yours again."
Jasmine blinked, glancing between them with confusion written all over her face. "What monster?"
Mash chuckled softly.
"Well," he said as he slid a card dramatically onto his duel disk, "spoiler alert: You will."
"I summon {Arianna the Labrynth Servant} in attack position!"
A small figure materialized in a swirl of dark light above the water. Arianna appeared delicate and almost harmless at first glance, clutching an oversized keychain while gazing around innocently.
{Arianna the Labrynth Servant|4 Star|Dark| Fiend/effect|ATK:1600 DEF:2100}
"And now..." Mash continued smoothly, "I'll activate Arianna's effect to search a Labrynth card from my deck and add it to my hand!"
His fingers moved quickly through his deck before he pulled out a single card and held it up briefly.
"I add {Labrynth Cooclock}!"
After showing it for a moment, he slipped it into his hand and continued without missing a beat.
"Next, I activate the effect of {Labrynth Stovie Torbie} from my hand! By discarding her along with one other card, I can set a Labrynth trap directly from my hand or deck!"
Two cards slid neatly into the graveyard slot of his duel disk.
"And the trap I'm setting… is {Big Welcome Labrynth}!"
The newly set card appeared face-down on his field.
Mash's grin slowly grew wider.
"After that," he said, clearly enjoying the moment, "I'll activate the effect of Cooclock by discarding it to the graveyard. Since I control a Labrynth card, I can activate a Normal Trap the turn it's set."
He tapped his duel disk.
"So guess what? I meet the condition."
The face-down trap flipped open with a dramatic flash.
"I activate {Big Welcome Labrynth}!"
The moment the trap activated, Alexis's calm demeanor sharpened into full concentration. Though her expression had grown serious, there was a spark of excitement in her eyes that she couldn't quite hide.
Behind Mash, Jaden's voice dropped into a rare moment of seriousness. "She's here…"
Syrus gripped the edge of the boat so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Mash's ace monster…"
Across the water, Jasmine and Mindy exchanged baffled looks.
They clearly had no idea what was about to appear.
"What's so special about this monster?" Mindy asked, completely confused.
The answer came a moment later.
Without warning, the surface of the water between the boats began to ripple violently. A shining silver structure slowly rose from the depths, pushing through the water with an almost theatrical grandeur. It took shape as an enormous silver staircase, each step polished to a mirror-like shine as it climbed upward toward a massive, ornate door that looked as if it belonged at the entrance of a royal palace.
The door itself was equally extravagant, decorated with elaborate engravings and curling silver designs that sparkled beneath the moonlight of the night.
From behind the door came a smug, echoing laugh.
"Ho ho ho ho~"
Mindy's eyes widened dramatically as she stared at the surreal spectacle unfolding in front of them.
"I take back what I said..." she muttered under her breath.
Mash spread his arms wide like a showman presenting the main act of a grand performance, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as the towering silver doors began to creak open.
"Please, everyone," he announced with theatrical flair, "give your BIG WELCOME to…"
A regal figure burst through the doorway in a blur of silver and black. Silver bat-like wings spread elegantly behind her as she glided down the staircase with the air of someone who clearly believed the entire world existed for her entertainment.
She descended each step with effortless grace, her expression smug and self-assured, eyes gleaming with aristocratic superiority.
"{Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle}~!" she declared proudly.
She landed lightly at the base of the staircase, striking a confident pose with her silver battle axe as her wings folded behind her. Her chin lifted slightly, her lips curling into a smug smile as if she were basking in the attention of an invisible audience.
For several seconds, nobody said anything.
Then Mindy completely lost her composure.
"HOW IS SHE TALKING!?" she shouted, nearly losing her balance in the boat as she pointed wildly at the monster. "ISN'T SHE SUPPOSED TO BE A HOLOGRAM!?"
Jasmine seemed far less concerned about the technicalities. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Lovely, clearly captivated.
"Who cares?" she muttered quietly. "She's… really gorgeous…"
Alexis covered her mouth slightly as a small giggle escaped her. "You two had the exact same reaction I did when I first saw her."
Meanwhile, Lovely Labrynth began descending the final steps of the staircase with regal confidence. However, the moment the heel of her elegant shoe touched the water's surface, her expression immediately shifted into visible disgust.
"Ew~" she said with a delicate grimace. "I hate getting wet."
The moment she spoke those words, something extraordinary happened.
A ripple of shimmering silver spread outward from beneath her foot, racing across the surface of the water like liquid metal. The transformation happened in seconds. The ocean itself hardened and gleamed, turning into a vast reflective sheet of polished silver that stretched across the duel field and reached all the way to the boats where the duelists stood.
Lovely looked down at the newly transformed surface with satisfaction.
"Much better~," she said smugly.
Silence fell over the entire scene.
Nobody moved.
Several mouths hung slightly open.
Even the usually composed Alexis seemed momentarily stunned.
Mash, however, simply crossed his arms and watched the reactions unfold with a quiet smirk.
Syrus slowly crouched down and tapped the silver-coated surface beneath the boat with his knuckles.
Tang. Tang. Tang.
He blinked several times, clearly astonished. "This… this entire thing is real metal!"
"For real!?" Jaden leaned over the edge of the boat, inspecting the reflective surface with childlike fascination. "How is this even possible, Mash?"
Mash gave a small shrug, his grin widening slightly. "Don't ask me. Ask Lovely."
Jaden immediately turned toward the elegant demon aristocrat standing proudly on the silver field. "Well, don't ask me~ ask my darling~"
He stopped mid-sentence as realization slowly dawned on him.
Then he sighed. "This is just going to loop forever, isn't it?"
Mash's smile widened slightly.
[Smart boy.]
When he looked toward the girls' boat again, the sight nearly made him laugh.
All three of them were still staring slack-jawed at the transformed ocean, their duel temporarily forgotten in the face of the absurd spectacle.
"T-This is insane…!" Jasmine exclaimed as she looked down at the shimmering expanse beneath them. "How could she do that!?"
Meanwhile, Mindy's expression had shifted into something far more calculating as she stared at the endless silver surface.
"How many high-end makeup sets could I buy with all this silver…" she muttered dreamily, her eyes literally turning into Yen symbol.
Alexis sighed, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. "Mash… you keep surprising me more and more."
Nearby, Lovely Labrynth threw her head back and laughed regally, clearly delighted by the reactions she was receiving.
"HO HO HO HO~!" she laughed proudly. "Look at them, Darling! It's like watching cavemen discover fire for the first time~!"
Mash rubbed the back of his head awkwardly as he looked around at the ridiculous scene.
"More like cavemen discovering a nuke for the first time..." he muttered. "This is way too much."
Clapping his hands loudly, he finally snapped everyone out of their stunned silence.
"BUT, ENOUGH OF THIS! Let's get this duel moving again!"
The duelists blinked, slowly remembering that they were still in the middle of a match.
"Anyway," Mash continued casually, gesturing toward his field, "let's resolve the effect of Big Welcome Labrynth. It allows me to Special Summon a Labrynth monster, then return one monster I control to my hand."
He pointed toward his field. "So I'll bring out Lovely… and bounce Arianna."
Arianna gave a small wave to Lovely Labrynth as her body dissolved into light, returning to Mash's hand in a brief flash.
Mash's grin widened.
"And since a monster left the field because of a Normal Trap..." he continued, "Lovely Labrynth's effect activates!"
Lovely stepped forward slightly, placing one hand elegantly against her cheek while striking a smug pose. "It allows me to destroy a card on the field… or even one in your hand~!" she said sweetly.
Jasmine's eyes widened in disbelief. "What!? You have an effect that destroys cards in hand too!?"
Lovely giggled softly, her expression turning mischievous. "Though the hand destruction is random~ Which means, I can't see what card I'm picking. But honestly…"
Her smirk widened. "it doesn't really matter, does it~?"
"Doesn't matter?" Jasmine repeated, completely confused.
Mash folded his arms and leaned back slightly, the grin on his face growing sharper.
"How about you experience that yourself?" he said casually before gesturing toward Lovely with theatrical flair. "My love, pop Jasmine's cherry!"
For a moment, the entire duel field went completely silent.
Every single person present slowly turned to stare at him.
Even the monsters turn to stare at Mash.
Jasmine's face turned bright red in an instant.
"POP MY WHAT!?" she shouted, her voice echoing across the silver-coated water.
Inside Mash's mind, panic detonated like a bomb. [Shit! I thought these kids from a children's TV show wouldn't get adult jokes!]
Lovely slowly turned her head toward him.
"Darling…" she said softly.
The single word carried an ominous weight that immediately made Mash's spine stiffen. The look she gave him was the kind usually reserved for unfaithful husbands caught in the act of cheating.
Mash instantly began waving both hands in front of him in frantic denial.
"U-uhm! I meant 'cherry' as a metaphor!" he blurted nervously. "You know! Like… cards in hand!"
He forced out an awkward laugh that convinced absolutely nobody.
Lovely stared at him for several long seconds, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were deciding whether or not he deserved to live. Then, just as suddenly, her expression softened.
"I know my Darling isn't the type to cheat on me~" she said with a sly smile that returned her usual regal composure. "So don't you worry~"
Mash let out a long breath of relief he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
With the matter apparently settled, Lovely turned away from him and began walking slowly across the polished silver surface toward the girls' boat. Her movements were graceful and unhurried, but there was something unmistakably sinister about the playful smile forming on her face.
"Is it just me..." Mindy whispered nervously as she began backing away, "or is she walking toward us…?"
Alexis remained calm, though even she seemed wary. She placed both hands firmly on Jasmine's shoulders. "Brace yourself, Jasmine."
"I-I'm not scared!" Jasmine insisted, though the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her. She lifted her chin stubbornly and crossed her arms. "In fact, compared to Alexis, I-I think she actually looks kind of ugl—"
She never finished the sentence.
As Lovely Labrynth suddenly appeared directly in front of her in an instant.
No footsteps.
No warning.
One moment she was several meters away.
The next moment her face was inches from Jasmine's.
Her smile had twisted into something devilishly ominous and creepy.
"What… did… you… say… about… me?" she asked slowly.
"KYAAAAH!"
Jasmine shrieked so loudly it could probably be heard back at the academy. She immediately dove behind Alexis and Mindy like a frightened cartoon character.
"I'M SORRY!" she cried while trembling. "I THINK YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL AND ELEGANT!"
Lovely said nothing.
She simply stared.
Silent.
Still.
Unblinking.
Her head tilted slightly as a faint smirk curled across her lips.
The tension was so thick it felt like the air itself had frozen.
Jasmine shrank further behind her friends, clutching their shoulders for protection. Even Alexis, who normally maintained perfect composure, had begun to sweat slightly under the pressure of Lovely's gaze.
Then, without warning, Lovely looked downward.
A soft chuckle escaped her.
The next second she threw her head back and laughed.
"Ho ho ho ho~!" she giggled, waving one hand dismissively. "Oh please~ I'm only teasing you~!"
Her sinister aura vanished instantly, replaced by her usual smug aristocratic confidence.
"Now~" she continued with a casual smile, extending one elegant hand toward Jasmine, "quickly reveal the backs of your hand cards, I'd like to finish this and return to my Darling~"
Jasmine scowled, clearly irritated but still shaken from the encounter. With a grumbling sigh, she raised her hand and fanned out all five cards.
"Just hurry up and get it over with!" she snapped.
Lovely hovered her hand over the cards. But she did not look at them, instead she was staring right at Jasmine's face. Her hand drifted slowly from left to right across the fan of cards. She moved with deliberate slowness, carefully studying every flicker of Jasmine's expression.
Left.
Right.
Left again.
Then it happened.
For the briefest fraction of a second. It was so small most people would have missed it, but Jasmine's expression twitched.
"Aha~" Lovely whispered, and plucked the card.
"Ah!" Jasmine gasped.
Lovely lifted the captured card and turned back toward Mash with a delighted smile.
"Tch tch tch~," she teased. "This is why one must learn to keep a proper poker face~"
With dramatic flair, she flipped the card around.
"Oh my~ Look, Darling~!" she announced gleefully. "I popped her {Harpie's Feather Duster}~!"
Mash threw his head back and burst into laughter. "HA! Nice one, Lovely!"
"Hey! That's cheating!" Mindy shouted angrily to protest. "You looked at her expression instead of picking randomly!"
Lovely simply smiled sweetly. "Which is exactly why I said it doesn't matter, didn't I~? Ho ho~"
In her hand, the Harpie's Feather Duster suddenly transformed. The card hardened into gleaming silver before crumbling apart like fragile metal glass, dissolving into a shower of shimmering dust that scattered across the polished surface below.
"Ho ho ho~" Lovely hummed happily. "Bye bye then, sweethearts~"
She twirled elegantly and glided back across the silver field to Mash's side as if nothing unusual had happened.
On the opposing boat, Jasmine looked ready to explode. "ARGH! I HATE YOU AND YOUR STUPID, TALKING, CHEATING CARD, YOU PIECE OF MASH POTATOES!!!"
Mash and Lovely slowly turned to look at each other.
For a brief moment, they simply nodded.
Then both of them threw their heads back and laughed in perfect synchronization.
"HO HO HO HO HO HO~!"
The villainous laughter echoed across the silver sea.
A few steps away, Jaden and Syrus exchanged uneasy side glances.
Without saying a word, they both slowly took a step away from Mash.
"I don't know him." Jaden said casually while raising his hands toward the girls.
"Me neither." Syrus added with complete deadpan seriousness.
Mash ignored them both.
He simply crossed his arms and turned his attention back to the duel field, his posture relaxed as if the entire spectacle had gone exactly as planned.
"Anyway," he said casually, "I'll set three cards."
Three face-down cards appeared on his side of the field one after another, their holographic frames glowing faintly against the polished silver surface that now covered the water.
"And thanks to Lovely's effect," he continued, gesturing toward the elegant demon beside him, "I can also set a Normal Trap from my graveyard. So I'll re-set Big Welcome Labrynth."
Lovely lifted one delicate hand with theatrical elegance.
A swirl of glittering silver dust rose from the field like a miniature storm, gathering in front of Mash's duel disk before condensing into the familiar form of a face-down card.
"There you go, Darling~" she said sweetly, punctuating the gesture with a playful wink.
Mash nodded approvingly and flashed her a satisfied grin. "I end my turn."
{Mash hand: 1 Cards|Mash field: 1 monster, 4 set cards}
Across the water, Alexis narrowed her eyes slightly as she studied the field.
[Strange…]
Her gaze shifted briefly toward Lovely Labrynth, whose her high attacking presence alone should have been enough to pressure any opponent.
[Why isn't he attacking?] she wondered. [Only the first turn player is restricted from attacking. With a monster that powerful, he should at least be forcing us onto the defensive.]
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
[What are you planning, Mash?]
Mash, meanwhile, stood perfectly relaxed with his usual easygoing smile.
[I'm literally doing nothing,] he thought lazily. [Just like Jaden asked.]
His gaze drifted toward the hero duelist standing beside him.
[But this dumbass bricked so hard it's actually impressive coming from him, the go-lucky boy.]
Jaden's entire field consisted of a single normal monster.
[Whatever,] Mash thought with a quiet sigh. [Guess I'll wait it out. He's the Top Deck King anyway. Maybe this is just a start of something. Probably.]
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
[And worst case scenario… I'm still here.]
"Finally! It's my turn!" Jasmine declared enthusiastically as she drew her card. Her dramatic flourish made it clear she had been waiting for this moment. "Draw!"
She immediately slammed a card into her duel disk.
"First, I summon {Cyber Harpie Lady} in attack mode!"
A sharp gust of wind whipped across the field as a winged woman materialized above the gleaming silver surface. Electricity crackled around the whip in her hand as she landed with a confident screech.
{Cyber Harpy Lady|4 Star|Wind|Winged Beast/Effect|ATK:1800 DEF:1300}
"And since she's treated as Harpie Lady, I can activate {Elegant Egotist}!" Jasmine continued excitedly. "That lets me special summon {Harpie Lady 1} from my hand!"
Another winged warrior descended beside the first, her arrival accompanied by swirling currents of wind.
{Harpy Lady 1|4 Star|Wind|Winged Beast/Effect|ATK:1300 DEF:1400}
Jasmine lifted her chin proudly.
"When Harpie Lady 1 is on the field, she boosts the attack of all WIND monsters by 300!"
The two monsters shimmered as the wind power surged through them.
{Harpy Lady 1 ATK: 1300 -> 1600}
{Cyber Harpy Lady ATK: 1800 -> 2100}
"Now I'll attack Jaden's Sparkman with Cyber Harpie Lady!" Jasmine pointed forward dramatically. "Go! Cyber Whip Strike!"
The winged warrior cracked her electrified whip forward in a violent arc.
Syrus flinched. "Uh oh! If Sparkman's destroyed, Jasmine can attack directly with Harpie Lady 1!"
Jaden rubbed the back of his head. "Great."
Just as the whip was about to strike, however, something unexpected happened.
A glowing wave of blue cloth-like energy suddenly spread across the field, intercepting the attack before it could land.
The whip collided with the barrier and dissipated harmlessly.
Jasmine blinked in confusion. "W-What!?"
"Ho ho ho~" Lovely laughed smugly as she stepped forward with pride. "Did you really think it would be that easy~?"
Behind her, one of Mash's face-down cards had flipped open.
"I activate {Waboku}," Mash explained calmly with an amused smirk. "That means our monsters can't be destroyed by battle this turn and we take no battle damage."
Jasmine clicked her tongue in frustration as her monster retreated back to its position.
Mash glanced sideways at Jaden. "You okay, bud?"
Jaden flashed him a confident grin. "Thanks, but I'm fine. I just haven't drawn the card I need… yet."
Mash let out a slow sigh. "Well, you better find it fast. I'm handicapping myself right now. As I'll only activate traps to save my own ass."
He held up a finger. "But I'll bail you out once if things go really bad. That reset happens every turn."
Jaden nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds good, Mash!"
Then Lovely suddenly appeared beside Jaden.
Her silver battle axe had somehow materialized in her hand pointing the blade at Jaden's neck.
"And if you somehow manage to fucked this up and make my Darling look bad..." she said sweetly, "I'll turn you into a silver statue and drop you at the bottom of the ocean~"
Jaden gulped audibly. "Y-Yes ma'am…"
On the opposing boat, Jasmine continued glaring at Mash.
[Mash is sooo annoyinggg…!]
"I'll set one card and end my turn!" she huffed.
{Jasmine Hands: 1 Card|Jasmine field: 2 monster, 1 set card}
"Don't worry, Mash!" Jaden declared dramatically as he drew his next card. "I'll turn this duel around!"
"Draw!"
He looked at the card, then he froze as a bead of sweat slid down his forehead.
Mash squinted at him already knowing. "You bricked again, didn't you?"
Lovely slowly walked beside him, silver battle axe already in hand, glaring with murderous intent.
"I'll… I'll go into battle—" Jaden began nervously.
Mash immediately grabbed him by the shoulders and started shaking him violently.
"DAMN YOU, JADEN!" he shouted. "YOU BRICKED SO HARD YOU ONLY SUMMONED ONE NORMAL MONSTER AND NOW YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY MONSTERS IN YOUR HAND!?"
Jaden flailed helplessly as he was rattled back and forth. "Wait, Mash! Just let me-!"
Then he suddenly froze.
Because he felt something cold pressing lightly against his neck.
The flat edge of Lovely's axe.
Jaden looked back as he saw Lovely cheerful smile had completely vanished into an murderous glare.
"Perhaps~" she murmured quietly, "I should motivate you by showing you what it feels like when your head falls off~"
"Hey! The duel isn't over yet!" Syrus suddenly shouted in panic. "Give Jaden a chance!"
Lovely turned her head slowly toward him, her expression sharpening.
"We're in this situation because of you, scaredy-boy," she said coldly. "If we lose, my Darling will get expelled."
Her eyes narrowed. "So sit down and be quiet."
Syrus flinched and shrank back immediately.
"But… he's right." Mash's voice cut through the tension.
Syrus looked up in surprise.
Mash's expression had softened slightly.
"The duel isn't over," he said calmly. "And as long as you don't give up, Jaden…"
A small smirk returned to his face. "…I won't either."
[Of course, that's assuming you don't screw this up.]
Jaden looked at him for a moment, his expression softening. "…Thanks, bro."
"Are you guys done with your shenanigans over there!?" Alexis called.
"Not only are we done," Jaden shouted back, "but so are you! Sparkman, attack Etoile Cyber!"
A bolt of crackling lightning surged forward from Sparkman's gauntlets.
"Not so fast!" Alexis snapped. "I activate {Doble Passe}!"
The lightning suddenly twisted in midair, veering away from Etoile Cyber and striking Alexis directly instead.
{Alexis & Jasmine LP: 8000 -> 6400}
Syrus gasped. "Sparkman attack becomes a direct attack!?"
"{Doble Passe} lets you bypass my monster and hit me instead," Alexis explained confidently. "But it also lets my monster attack you directly in return! And when {Etoile Cyber} attacks directly, she gains 500 ATK!"
{Etoile Cyber ATK:1200 -> 1700}
The cybernetic warrior flipped gracefully through the air before delivering a powerful kick straight into Jaden's chest.
"Ugh!" he grunted as he stumbled backward.
{Mash & Jaden LP: 8000 -> 6300}
Mash and Lovely slowly turned their heads toward him with an ominous glare.
Jaden scratched the back of his head nervously.
"…I'll end my turn."
{Jaden Hands: 6 card|Jaden field: 1 Monster}
Alexis smirked as she drew. "Jaden, it seems even your partner's starting to doubt you."
She held up her hand. "I activate {Polymerization}! I fuse {Etoile Cyber} from the field with {Blade Skater} in my hand to fusion summon {Cyber Blader}!"
Two lights spun together, twisting into a fusion vortex before a figure skated forward, gliding across the silver field like it was ice.
{Cyber Blader|7 star|EARTH|Warrior/Fusion/Effect|ATK: 2100 DEF: 800}
"{Cyber Blader} has three effects depending on how many monsters the opponent controls," she said confidently. "With one, she can't be destroyed by battle. With two, her ATK doubles. And with three? She negates all your spells, traps, and monster effects."
"And since you two have two monsters, her ATK doubles!"
{Cyber Blader ATK: 2100 -> 4200}
"And I'm not done! I equip her with {Fusion Weapon}! It gives any fusion monster 1500 extra ATK!" She slotted the card into her disk, and Cyber Blader's hand transformed into a glowing bio-weapon.
{Cyber Blader ATK: 4200 -> 5700}
Syrus's eyes bulged. "5700 ATK!?"
"And now, I activate {Fusion Recovery}! I get back the {Polymerization} I used and one material from the graveyard!" She added both cards to her hand, then slid one down. "And since I haven't normal summoned yet, here comes {Etoile Cyber}!"
The cyber warrior returned, landing beside Cyber Blader.
I turned to look at Jaden, giving him a half-grin as I said in an australian accent. " *Whistle*... looking pretty bad, ain't it, mate?"
"Now," Alexis said, raising her hand. "Battle! Cyber Blader, attack Sparkman!"
A burst of green energy surged from her bio-weapon, destroying sparkman in a green explosion.
"Ugh...!" Jaden groaned.
{Mash & Jaden LP: 6300 -> 2200}
"And now! Etoile Cyber can attack Jaden directly! And you remember her effect right?" Alexis added.
{Etoile Cyber ATK:1200 -> 1700}
She dashed forward and flipped midair, delivering another acrobatic kick to Jaden's chest. "Uwah!"
{Mash & Jaden LP: 2200 -> 500}
"Yeah!" Mindy cheered enthusiastically from the girls' boat, pumping her fist into the air as the momentum of the duel finally seemed to swing in their favor. "Way to go, Alexis!"
Jasmine crossed her arms with a smug grin spreading across her face, clearly enjoying the situation far more than she probably should have. "I seriously can't wait to report these idiots and get them expelled," she said with poorly concealed satisfaction.
Alexis stood calmly at the front of the boat, her posture straight and composed as always. On the surface, she looked perfectly confident, as though everything was unfolding exactly the way she had planned.
But Mash noticed the slight flicker in her eyes.
Something about the situation was bothering her.
[Something's off...] she thought quietly, her gaze drifting across the opposing field. Mash stood there far too relaxed for someone supposedly losing this badly. With his Four face-down cards still rested behind his monster still untouched.
[What are you doing... Mash?]
Meanwhile, on the other boat, Jaden was still trying to regain his balance after taking the direct hit from Etoile Cyber. He rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile, attempting to look unfazed.
Unfortunately for him, someone else had very different feelings about the situation.
A moment later, Lovely Labrynth appeared directly in front of him.
She grabbed Jaden by the collar and yanked him upward.
Her hand rose.
"What." Slap.
"The." Slap.
"Fuck." Slap.
"Are." Slap.
"You." SLAP.
"DOING!?"
Each word came punctuated by another sharp smack across Jaden's face. By the time she finished, both of his cheeks were puffed up and glowing bright red like freshly ripened tomatoes.
Mash winced slightly as he watched the scene unfold.
[She's literally slapping him with solid silver hands] he thought with mild sympathy. [That's gotta hurt like hell.]
He leaned slightly toward Jaden.
"You okay, Jay?" he asked casually. "Want me to step in now?"
Jaden blinked a few times, shaking his head as he tried to clear the ringing from his ears. Despite everything, he still managed to smile.
"No," he said with quiet determination. "I'm okay, Mash."
He straightened his posture and clenched his fist. "I've got this."
"You've got this, NOT!" Lovely shouted immediately, spinning around to glare at him like an angry queen addressing a particularly incompetent servant. "We went from eight thousand life points to five hundred in just two turns!"
She dramatically threw one arm toward Mash. "Darling~! we should-"
"No."
Mash cut her off calmly.
Lovely blinked in surprise.
"As long as Jaden hasn't given up," Mash continued, folding his arms with quiet confidence, "I'm not giving up either."
"But-"
Mash's smirk returned.
"Besides," he added, "you forgot something important, Lovely."
Lovely narrowed her eyes slightly. "And what would that be?"
Mash tilted his head toward Jaden. "You forgot about Jaden's superpower."
Syrus blinked in confusion. "Jaden has a superpower?"
Jaden himself looked equally baffled. "I do?"
Mash nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "Yep. You've got a completely ridiculous ability to topdeck exactly what you need at the most desperate possible moment."
Jaden stared at him for a second. "…How do you even know that?"
Flick!
Mash immediately flicked him in the forehead. "You ask too many questions."
Jaden rubbed his forehead with a confused groan.
"Anyway," Mash continued, casually pointing toward the deck still sitting in Jaden's duel disk, "your superpower is basically at maximum power right now."
His grin sharpened slightly. "Now all we have to do… is survive until your next turn."
Jaden nodded firmly.
Across the water, Alexis continued watching them carefully. The calm confidence in Mash's voice was making her increasingly uneasy.
Mash cracked his knuckles casually as he turned toward the girls' boat, a devilish glint appearing in his eyes.
"And honestly…" he said slowly, stretching his shoulders as though preparing for something, "I'm starting to get a little impatient."
Lovely raised an eyebrow beside him.
Mash rolled his neck slightly before glancing toward the opposing field again.
"Just a small step..." he continued casually.
He lifted one foot to rest it on the edge of the boat.
"Just a single foot in this duel...."
His grin widened like a devil.
"That's all I need… to give Jaden the opening to win this duel!"