As a member of a renowned magical family, Irena might not have shown interest in the Magic Club's activities at Fusion Academy, but her magical prowess placed her among the academy's top tier—even when including the teachers.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have earned the title of "Gray Witch" at just sixteen.
In Miles's previous world, the term "witch" usually referred to evil antagonists in fairy tales or folklore.
In fact, during the Middle Ages, there were even witch hunts carried out in the name of persecuting heretics.
However, on the Spirit Continent, a world of swords and sorcery, where magic was commonplace, the term "witch" was a respectful title for female mages proficient in magic.
During the daytime Practical Test, although Irena had vaguely sensed something off about Luca's magical aura, she didn't call it out.
Naturally, Irena had kept her guard up.
The biggest reason was because Luca Slint had become Aisha's roommate.
If this girl, who looked as pure and innocent as an angel, was rotten on the inside, then before letting her sleep next to Aisha, Irena had to "adjust" things properly.
With her gray ahoge twitching, Irena had already guessed what was going on.
Luca's excessive delay today, and her absurdly large suitcase, suggested she had something to hide.
By activating the magic called "True Sight Eye," she could see the movement trajectory of a specified target for a certain period of time.
The higher the caster's magical power and skill, the further back the trail could be traced.
With Irena's level as a witch, "True Sight Eye" could trace back actions from half a day ago.
So when the Practical Test ended, Irena decisively left the Duel Arena and began tracing Luca's pre-arrival movements.
As expected, one segment of Luca's path was suspicious.
Despite the hotel and Fusion Academy lying on a straight path, Luca had taken a clear detour to an empty, barren patch of grass outside the campus.
And there, hidden in the tall grass, Irena found the discarded Millennium Ring.
At first glance, it looked very similar to the ornament Aisha always wore on her chest.
That said, just by touching it, Irena could feel the ominous power sealed inside. The malicious magic radiating from it startled even her.
Luca Slint had deliberately abandoned this thing here. Was she planning to come back for it later?
Unaware of the Millennium Ring's ability to return to its host on its own, Irena decided to ask for leave that afternoon to hide nearby and lie in wait.
Conversely, Luca also didn't know the Millennium Ring had been picked up by Irena.
Realizing it couldn't return no matter how much she called to it, she quickly deduced that someone's powerful magical presence was suppressing it.
The Ring had been picked up.
This wasn't the first time someone had stumbled across the hidden Millennium Ring.
That said, every one of those meddlers had paid a steep price.
Retracing her steps to the discard site, Luca, a new transfer student, didn't recognize Irena.
She did hesitate a bit when she saw the gray-haired girl in a Fusion Academy uniform holding the Millennium Ring.
Even so, it didn't matter.
Whether she was a student or not, she just had to be eliminated.
If anyone should regret anything, it should be for picking up something they shouldn't have.
"Duel!!"
[Luca Slint, LP: 3000]
[Irena, LP: 4000]
"Trap Card activate! Targeting your [Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel], take this—Karma Cut!"
[Discard 1 card, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; banish that target, then banish all cards with the same name as that monster from your opponent's Graveyard.]
Luca had finally summoned her strongest monster—the black-and-red-winged Rosaria—only to see it banished by Irena's Karma Cut before it could even attack.
From the start of the Duel, both LP and board control had been entirely in Irena's favor.
Although the other self within the Millennium Ring had temporarily gone dormant,
Luca hadn't expected that besides Aisha Carlos, another Millennium Item wielder, someone else at Fusion Academy could crush her so thoroughly.
Worse than the Practical Test earlier, Luca couldn't even find a chance to strike back.
She was, after all, a student of the elite Xyz Academy. How could she be manhandled like this by some random Fusion Academy student?
"What the hell is with this woman? Is she really just a student at Fusion Academy with this kind of Duel power?"
It was only her first day as a transfer student, so Luca Slint had no way of knowing that this student she "randomly" encountered was one of Fusion Academy's strongest Duelists.
"I was wondering which sneaky little bug was slinking around during the day. You want this back, don't you, Luca Slint?"
Swinging the Millennium Ring in her hand, Irena still didn't know exactly what this magic tool did.
Albeit, judging by how Luca launched a Duel without hesitation to retrieve it, it was clearly both important and not something to be shown in the open.
"..."
Luca bit her lip, torn over whether to respond.
Though it wasn't a Shadow Game, as long as she won the Duel and commanded her Duel Monster to reclaim the Millennium Ring from Irena, it would be easy.
She could then initiate a Shadow Game and, if ruthless enough, eliminate Irena.
No need to answer anything.
"I end my Battle Phase and switch both of my [Mystic Tomatoes] to Defense Position."
[Mystic Tomato] Level 4│DARK│Plant│1100 DEF ×2
Two Level 4 monsters.
As an XYZ Academy student, Luca could easily perform a Rank 4 Xyz Summon.
Irena's current field only had a [Magical Valkyria] with 1600 Attack. A Rank 4 monster could easily overpower it.
However, she had squandered this turn's Battle Phase.
Considering Mystic Tomato's effect upon being destroyed in battle, she chose to end her turn in this defensive formation.
"I Set one card. Turn end!"
"Oh? Not willing to answer me, Luca-san?"
Dueling with the Millennium Ring in hand, Irena casually gripped her card and the Ring together.
"Looks like you still believe you can win. Then let's go to the end! My turn, draw!"
With delicate fingers, Irena drew her card. The girl on its art was just as cute and mischievous as the Gray Witch herself.
"I Tribute [Magical Valkyria] to perform an Advanced Summon! Come forth—Dark Magician Girl!"
[Dark Magician Girl] Level 6│DARK│Spellcaster│2000 ATK
The wand-wielding girl materialized in midair. With rosy cheeks and an oversized magician's hat slightly askew, she steadied it with one hand as she descended.
"A 2000 ATK Level 6 monster."
Luca hadn't even feared a 2500 ATK Summoned Skull earlier in her Duel against Aisha. She certainly wasn't going to fear Dark Magician Girl now.
Besides, her two [Mystic Tomato] could replace themselves if destroyed in battle. Dark Magician Girl wouldn't be enough to break through.
Irena said, "Oh, you're giving us that 'I look down on you' attitude again."
Even the cute Dark Magician Girl on the field puffed her cheeks in protest.
"Then let me show you something big! Even an apprentice like Dark Magician Girl has the potential to rival Dark Magician!"
Smirking with confidence, Irena spun her card at her fingertips before flinging it toward Dark Magician Girl.
"Spell Card activate—Dark Burning Attack!"
[If you control a "Dark Magician Girl" monster: Destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls.]
Dark Magician Girl's signature spell, a C-rank card with an effect as devastating as an A-rank card like Raigeki.
"Go, Dark Magician Girl!"
A crimson burst of power erupted from her wand, vaporizing both of Luca's [Mystic Tomato] on impact.
Because they were destroyed by a card effect, not battle, their effects didn't trigger.
"Now there's nothing on your field. Attack directly, Dark Magician Girl!"
Firing off another twin burst of destructive magic, Dark Magician Girl blasted toward Luca's innocent-looking face.
"You think your monster will get away unscathed? Trap Card activate—Mirror Force!"
The same Mirror Force that had trapped Aisha during the morning test now opened in front of Luca.
But Irena was prepared.
"Counter Trap activate—Seven Tools of the Bandit!"
[Pay 1000 LP to negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it.]
[Irena, LP: 4000 → 3000]
"Paying 1000 LP, I negate and destroy Mirror Force!"
Mirror Force shattered instantly. With nothing left to stop it, Dark Magician Girl's attack slammed Luca straight into the grassy field.
[Luca Slint, LP: 3000 → 1000]
"Flawless. Who the hell is this woman?"
Rubbing her rear and getting back up, Luca couldn't believe this gray-haired girl in a witch hat was just a regular student.
"Hmph. Still think you can underestimate us?"
Having cleared the field and pierced through her opponent's defenses, Irena high-fived Dark Magician Girl.
"I Set one card. Turn end. Your move, Luca-san."
"My turn, draw!"
...
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