Want to play cards? I'll use my King's Deck!

This is a large-scale competition spearheaded by the D Alliance, encompassing the entire Eastern Conference region.

The competition is limited to high school students and takes place in July and August each year, with the preliminary elimination rounds starting a week after the end of the semester's final exams. If this were a sports comic, the Star Cup would be equivalent to the national tournament within the comic.

Therefore, duelists who emerge from this world-renowned stage and rank among the top will have an incredibly smooth path to becoming professional duelists. If they are elected as the Rookie of the Year, major professional clubs will unconditionally open their doors to them, allowing them to reach the pinnacle of their careers.

Honor, money, future prospects... almost everything can be seized through this one competition!

However, Yu Xi didn't want to participate in the competition for that reason.

He was also thrilled by Xingyewu's explanation, but he didn't forget what his real goal was.

According to Xingye Wu, the current president of Kaiba Corporation will definitely appear at the finals of the Star Cup and personally present the championship trophy as the honorary president of the D Alliance.

Furthermore, a member of the Kaiba family has enrolled in the prestigious "Star Edge Duel Academy" and publicly announced in the media that they will participate in the Star Cup.

Whether it's trying to win the championship or making contact with the Kaiba family during the competition, Yu Xi has a greater chance of figuring out the truth about the Kaiba people.

"I want to see them alive or dead"—You Xi has decided that this time he must get to the bottom of this.

After hearing Yuki's answer, Izayoi Yuki closed her eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

She opened her eyes again a few seconds later—

"I'm sorry, although I don't know your reason, I cannot grant your request."

"Huh?! Why?!"

Before Youxi could say anything, Xingyewu spoke first.

She protested, "Xiaoxue, you rejected me way too quickly and without any mercy. Who would sentence someone to death with just one sentence after less than a minute of the interview?"

"You're asking me why? Don't you know the answer yourself?"

Izayoi Yuki glared back at the blonde girl who was siding with outsiders, and said bluntly, "I don't believe you didn't notice that Izumi-san has no 'Feel' at all. She can't fight in the Star Cup like that."

"Well, I don't think you need to worry too much about that, Xiaoxue. Remember that duel I mentioned? Even without Feel, Yuki-kun successfully completed the fusion summon."

"Perhaps it was just a lucky break. Relying on that kind of thing will likely lead to disaster at crucial moments. Besides, a lack of 'feel' is always a potential problem; can you guarantee he'll succeed every time?"

"Um, there's something I'd like to ask."

Amid the argument between the two girls, the boy at the center of the conversation raised his hand.

"Can someone explain to me what this 'Feel' you keep mentioning is?"

"Huh? You Xijun, you didn't know?"

Xingye Wu patiently explained, "Actually, it's not complicated. Feel is a kind of power used to control duels and cards."

"The strength of Feel directly affects one's mastery of their own deck. It is said that when Feel is strong enough, one can even decide what cards to draw at will, ensuring that every draw is a guaranteed draw. However, that level is too far away from us, so there is no need to worry about it too much. Anyway, no one in this era has that level of skill."

"What is truly relevant to us is Feel's understanding and application of summoning techniques."

"Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Link above L-ink2—these four summoning methods and cards cannot be used without Feel. In this sense, Feel is more like the energy that drives the summoning methods. And I don't need to explain how much of an advantage learning Extra Summoning methods is in a duel, right, Yuuki-kun?"

Incidentally, there is also a pendulum summoning method among the summoning methods mentioned above.

The problem is that Pendulum Summoning is much more difficult to learn than other summoning methods, so very few people will specifically learn and use Pendulum Summoning, and it is eventually partially excluded.

To become a professional duelist, one must be proficient in at least two of the summoning methods.

So far, Xingye Mai has mastered Xyz and Synchro, but is still struggling to explore the other two.

Izayoi Yuki excels at harmonics and connections.

"Is that why you rejected me?"

As Xingye Wu continued to teach, Youxi gained a deeper understanding of the power system of this world.

The concept of Feel is similar to things like destiny or fate; it is clearly a very powerful weapon. An insurmountable chasm exists between those who possess Feel and those who do not.

"That's right, I'm glad you understand."

Izayoi Yuki earnestly advised, "Izumi-kun, you should give up. There are many powerful duelists in the Star Cup, and you won't go far even if you force yourself to participate. Besides, this club's situation is a bit special..."

"In that case, let's duel!"

"……what?"

Before Izayoi Yuki could finish speaking, Yuki interrupted her.

She looked directly into his eyes, and saw only unwavering resolve. Hesitation and wavering were nowhere to be seen on his face.

"Izayoi-kun is probably worried that I'll hold you back. But I think a duel isn't so simple that it can be decided just by the strength of the feeling. If you really want me to give up, then use a duel to shut me up. But... if I happen to win, then Izayoi-kun will have no reason to continue refusing me, right?"

This guy……

"Haha, Xiaoxue, what should we do? That's what Youxi-jun said, are you going to accept the challenge?" Xingyewu asked expectantly.

"Is there even a need to ask?"

You Xi's provocation was obvious, yet it was also a truth in a certain sense.

This is the world of dueling minds; if there's any conflict, there's almost nothing a duel can't resolve. If there isn't, then another duel will do.

As a duelist, one cannot make a second choice when faced with a challenge.

Therefore, it's not hard to guess how Izayoi Yuki will react.

"Ok."

Izayoi Yuki's voice and eyes suddenly turned cold and serious—

"Izumi-kun, if that's how you see it, then so be it."

Chapter 15 The Blooming Crimson Lotus Flame

The three of them walked out of the dojo and arrived at the open-air dueling arena mentioned earlier.

Sunlight streamed down from the cloudless sky, spreading warmth and brightness evenly to every corner—it was the perfect day for playing cards.

"Next, I will serve as the temporary referee. The base score will be 8000, and the rules will be the new Master Rule 2, with one game determining the winner. If Yu Xijun wins, Xiaoxue must approve Yu Xijun's application to join the club; otherwise, Yu Xijun must withdraw. Do either of you have any objections?"

Xingyewu stood at the edge of the dueling arena and checked to the left and right one last time.

The response was as expected.

"no problem."

"Same here."

Izayoi Yuki reminded Yuki across from her, "This is different from Mai's time. It's the 8000LP rule, and I won't go easy on you like Mai did. I hope you're prepared."

"I know that otherwise this duel would lose its meaning."

Whether it was because of the Feel mentioned just a few minutes ago, or because she was getting serious, Izayoi Yuki in the duel arena seemed quite intimidating at first glance, but Yuki naturally wouldn't back down so easily.

He fixed the folded Duel Disk, which was originally in standby mode, on his wrist, unfolded it, placed it into his deck, and automatically shuffled it, saying, "I'm ready, let's begin, Izayoi-kun."

"Then come on."

Izayoi Yuki said nothing more, and also raised her rose-colored duel disk horizontally—

"Duel!" x2

【Yu Xi LP: 8000】

【Izayoi Yuki LP: 8000】

As soon as the duel declaration was shouted, Yuki's duel disk lit up with a "beep," signifying that Yuki had gained the first move.

"Activate the Continuous Spell: [The Will of a Mortal]!"

After looking at his hand and thinking for less than 5 seconds, Youxi decided on his strategy.

It seems fast, but there isn't much to do.

"As long as this card is on the field, if you draw a Normal Monster during your Normal Draw Phase, reveal the card you drew to your opponent and you can draw 1 more card. I then set 2 more backrow cards, perform a face-down Defense Summon 1 monster, and end my turn."

"Such a simple opening, Yu Xijun."

Looking at the four extra cards in Yuki's territory, Hoshino couldn't help but recall the first round of her duel with Yuki, and smiled knowingly.

"However, this trick might not work on Xiaoxue. Because..."

"It's my turn."

Izayoi Yuki's card-drawing movements were not particularly sharp, quite ordinary, and she didn't put much effort into her voice, just enough for Yuki to hear.

But the power in that injection operation declaration was not weak.

She slapped a card onto the center square of the duel disk.

"During the main phase, I summon 'Night Rose Knight' in an attack stance."

"Night Rose Knight, Level 3/Dark/Warrior/Adjustment" "ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000"

A flash of silver light appeared, and the silver-haired young knight appeared, sword in hand.

"When successfully summoned, the effect of 'Night Rose Knight' activates. Card Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Plant-Type monster from your hand, and Special Summon 'Lone Flame'."

"Lonefire Flower, Level 3/Fire/Plant" "ATK: 500/DEF: 1400"

With a swing of his sword, the young knight conjured a plant from the ground, its closed flower tip catching the light like a firework. Then, the flower opened, revealing a new monster within.

"The effect of 'Lone Spark' is activated once per turn. Tribute yourself to Summon a second and third card of the same name from your Deck, then Tribute the third 'Lone Spark' to Special Summon 'Carrot Man'."

"Carrot Man, Level 4/Dark/Plant" "ATK: 1900/DEF: 0"

"A 3-star adjustment, and a 4-star monster?" Yuki's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the two monsters summoned by Izayoi Yuki. "Could it be..."

"I used 'Night Rose Knight' against 'Carrot Man'—Star Adjustment."

Izayoi Yuki removed the monster card from the Duel Disk, and the one whose name she called instantly transformed into three azure star rings, enveloping another monster and from which four shining stars emerged.

Then, the stars and the halo were pierced by the blazing white lightning.

This is a different kind of light from Xyz Summoning, a bridge of miracles built by adding stars together.