Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

"...Ed?"

"...What's wrong? Is there anything there?"

Seeing that Edward was walking alone in a certain direction, Yusei and Jaden Yuki exchanged a puzzled look, and then followed behind her like her protectors.

As mentioned before, the main reason they came here was because they were worried about Edward going into danger alone.

Although she is powerful in every sense, Yusei and the others, with their heroic spirit, will not allow themselves to just watch from the outside.

At the very least, I should follow behind her and help her share some of the pressure of facing the BOSS!

"Damn it, where am I?!"

"...Saiou Mijuchi! Stop playing tricks on us! Come out right now!!!"

-.【.】

In the surrounding space, the figures of Hyomaru and the others, who had been defeated by Yusei and his group, would occasionally flash by.

Originally, they should have been sealed away by Misuchi's divine mirror, but at this moment, they maintained their state of being sealed by the mirror in a special way, demonstrating their presence to everyone.

"Hmph! Men... you don't need to shout, I can hear you!"

As Jaden Yuki shouted, ripples spread through the surrounding space like waves on water.

As Saiō Mijuchi's voice echoed through the surrounding space, the scenery that had stood there began to dissipate piece by piece.

Once the surrounding space became open, Saiō Mijuchi's figure gradually materialized and appeared before everyone's eyes.

Wearing a red and white shrine maiden outfit, she is just as beautiful as Edward and both are extremely capable fighters. Although she stands on the opposite side of Yusei and the others and belongs to the villainous female character category, she still exudes a unique charm.

"Ed... just as we agreed, you really did come here!"

Ignoring the two grown men, Yusei and Jaden, Misuzu appeared before everyone and immediately fixed her gaze on Edward.

Looking at her childhood friend who had now joined the enemy camp, a very complicated expression flashed across her face.

Unlike when they chatted remotely through the lens before, Misuzu finally maintained her feminine composure this time, hiding her dissatisfaction in her heart and not immediately transforming into a Mongolian top laner to give Edward a round of friendly greetings.

"I don't remember making any promises with you."

With a casual tone, Edward directly exposed Misuzu's attempt at self-deception: "Misuzu, it was you who threatened us, saying we weren't allowed to leave if we didn't come, that's why we came here, wasn't it?"

"Now that things have come to this, why bother putting on airs?"

With absolutely no intention of saving face for his childhood friend, Edward immediately removed the step that Misuzu was standing on.

"...Hmph! If that's the case... I think I only invited you, right? Then what about these two guys who came along... Yusei and Jaden Yuki?"

Misuzu, pointing to the two people currently standing next to Edward, changed the subject and proudly raised her head.

My foolish Ed!

If you're trying to accuse me of using any means necessary to bring you over, then I can also say that you also engaged in irregular practices on your end!

We're all just laughing at each other, so let's not make fun of each other.

Yusei & Jaden Yuki: "..."

Feeling like they'd been unfairly targeted, the two simultaneously looked up at the ceiling.

Edward: "...Hmph!"

Ed crossed his arms, grunted, and chose not to dwell on the topic any further.

"Anyway, I won't pursue the matter of you bringing them here for now."

Looking at the two men who looked embarrassed, Mizuchi continued, "However, according to the guidance of fate, my duel with Edward will take place next. Could you two please step aside for now?"

"Uh... okay then..."

Scratching their heads, Yusei and Jaden Yuki, realizing that it seemed difficult to make a move at the moment, had no choice but to stand aside after hearing Misuzu's words.

However, even though they stood aside, they did not become complacent.

Judging from the current situation, a showdown between Misuzu and Aida, these two best friends, is inevitable.

With them there to protect Edward, even if Misuchi loses and tries to cheat, they can use their spirit powers to help Edward escape this strange space, just like in the Dark Duel.

Having a backup plan, even if it may not be used, is better than having nothing at all.

“Ed, my brother told me before that you, who possess the [Destiny HERO] deck, will become his enemy, just like Yusei and Jaden Yuki, and have the potential to turn the wheel of his fate…”

"My brother, who couldn't see through his own destiny, realized this and asked me to find an opportunity to test you."

Explaining the current situation, Misuzuchi then raised her arm in front of her body: "However, although that's what he said, I have a different opinion."

With a flash of light, Misutomo held a strangely shaped dueling disk in the style of ancient Japan's Heian period.

“Ed Phoenix…right here, risk your freedom and that of your companions to fight me!”

Looking directly at the silent Edward, Misuzu's eyes slowly narrowed: "If you are a hero on the opposing side, then give it your all in this duel!"

"……I see."

After listening quietly to Misuzu's words and nodding, Edward raised his arm expressionlessly and unfolded the Duel Disk in his hand: "...Misuzu, even after so long, our ill-fated relationship still surrounds us and hasn't let me go... Since we're bound to fight sooner or later, let's take this opportunity to convey our beliefs to each other!"

The hero of destiny is a lone wolf living in a dark world, and Ed Phoenix embodies this style, needing no so-called friends.

She came here simply to settle things with Miyuki.

"Heh... Edward, let me see your strength now that you're a professional league player!"

A slight smile played on her lips as she looked at her childhood friend, who was ready and poised for battle. Misuzu brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and simultaneously called out, "...Duel!!!"

"Ah, Misutomo, let me show you the form of the strongest hero on Earth...Duel!"

With their shouts, the duel between Ed Phoenix and Saiou Mitochi, a contest of their beliefs, officially began.

Yusei and Jaden Yuki, who were just watching the spectacle, found a spot not far from the two and quietly observed their duel.

(Ed Phoenix LP: 4000)

(Saiō Mijuchi LP: 4000)

"The power of D that weaves the future... O strongest heroes of destiny! Lend me your power!"

Recalling his many duels in the past, Ed Phoenix, who had never lost to anyone except for Yusei's "Tears of the Underworld," clenched his fist and decisively took the first move in the duel: "Misuzu, I'll take the first move! My turn... Draw!"

"Heh... Edward, you mustn't disappoint me."

Misuzu, who had been waiting for Edward to make the first move, looked at the silver-haired girl opposite her with a confident expression.

As Edward's childhood friend, she was quite familiar with Edward's cards.

Currently, Edward does not possess the original and strongest D card—[Destiny HERO Blood Demon-D]—nor its matching Continuous Spell Card [D-Power], which grants Blood Demon-D absolute resistance.

Therefore, the only trump card Edward has at this moment is the Phoenix Man, known as the "most beautiful newborn"!

This monster, known as the "Young Phoenix" alongside the "Sleeping Dragon"—Red-Eyes Dragon Knight, possesses extremely strong disruptive power and immortality, allowing it to revive from the grave an infinite number of times... but it is not invincible.

At least in Misuzu's current deck, there are cards specifically designed to counter this card.

"It begins! I summon Elemental HERO Skywalker from my hand in Attack Position and activate its effect to search for one HERO monster from my Deck. I choose Phantom HERO Solitary One!"

By placing one of his cards onto the Duel Disk, Edward summoned the Overworked Hero, and then used its effect to retrieve a key card from his deck.

"Next, I activate the effect of [Phantom Hero - The Alone], discarding [Destiny Hero - The Demon] from my hand and Special Summoning it to my field!"

Send the woolman from your hand to the graveyard, and then place the Good Guy next to Skyman.

With a flash of white light, the pink-themed hero, wielding his claws, appeared before Edward.

"It's begun! The ultimate classic move with a hero deck!"

Watching Edward's actions, Yusei couldn't help but smile knowingly.

As duelists who both use the Hero Deck, Yusei and Jaden Yuki are quite familiar with how to play Edward.

It's similar to using [Hero Arrival] to summon [Elemental Hero - Shadow Mist Lady], then searching for [Mask Transformation] to transform Shadow Mist Lady into [Mask Hero - Dark Claw].

With the arrival of [Phantom Hero: The Solitary Good Man], the skills that are ingrained in the DNA of hero players will be showcased by Edward in the coming days.

"At this moment, the effect of [Phantom Hero: The Solitary One] activates! Place [Phantom Hero: The Incremental One] from my Deck into the Spell & Trap Zone. After this effect is activated, it cannot be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck unless it is a [Hero] monster until the end of this turn!"

"Then, I activate the effect of [Phantom Hero: Incremental] located in the Spell & Trap Zone, and Special Summon [Phantom Hero: Alone] which I control!"

"And if [Phantom Heroes: Incremental Man] is successfully Special Summoned, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower [Phantom Heroes] monster from my Deck..."

"...Come on! [Phantom Hero - Android]!!!"

Multiple searchlights illuminated the surrounding space, dispelling the immense darkness that permeated this boundless area.

After the treacherous [Phantom Hero - Incremental Human] appeared, stepping over the corpse of [Phantom Hero - Alone Human], the entirely purple [Phantom Hero - Android] also appeared before everyone at the call of [Phantom Hero - Incremental Human].

549 O Phoenix of Destruction! Spread your wings and fly high!

After Ed Phoenix's dazzling series of maneuvers, three distinctly different [Hero] monsters appeared on her field.

The monsters that appeared were—

The wind-attribute [Elemental Hero - Sky Knight], and the dark-attribute [Phantom Hero - Incremental Man] and [Phantom Hero - Android].

She had only used two cards in her hand, making it a true two-card opening.

Moreover, the existence of these three monsters is only the beginning!

More heroes will follow.

"...If the effect of [Phantom Hero - Android] is activated, and this card is Normal or Special Summoned, send 1 [Hero] monster from your Deck to the Graveyard."

With a wave of his arm, Edward announced the name of the monster sent to the graveyard: "The monster I chose to send to the graveyard is [Destiny HERO - Negation] from my deck!"

The Demonic Man has the effect of banishing itself from the Graveyard and then Special Summoning a card with the same name from the Deck, so it can be used repeatedly as material.

As is widely known, the denier and the demonic are inseparable brothers, and even death cannot separate them.

Since the demonic one had already been sent to the grave by the effect of the benevolent one, it was naturally impossible for the denier, who was his brother, to be absent as well.

Under the influence of the androids, the Denial Man was reunited with the Demon Man in the cemetery.

"Unfortunately... there isn't a [Special Hero - Crossman] available as a Link Monster right now, otherwise, we could actually search for another Hero Monster here."