"So you really were hiding here. I've been looking everywhere for you."
The vending machine outside the bathhouse was so discreet that Hoshino and Alexis had walked right past it earlier—otherwise, no one would skip the chance for a bottle of ice-cold milk after a bath.
"As long as I bring the cold milk back, I'll get to see Senpai's smile again~"
Humming a light tune as she inserted the coins, Alexis felt strangely happy running such a simple errand.
"Alexis."
A cold voice drifted over, making Alexis freeze mid-movement. She turned—and found Akasha standing behind her, also dressed in a yukata, having approached without a sound.
"Ah! Akasha, you scared me! Where did you go? You didn't join us in the hot spring. But since you're wearing a yukata now, you must have bathed on your own, right?"
"That's right. The hot spring here works wonders—it really melts away fatigue."
Without asking, Akasha pressed the milk button on the machine, picked up the bottle that dropped, opened it, and drank it all in one go.
"Ugh… my cold milk…" Alexis had only brought two coins. If Akasha drank one—and the other was for Hoshino—she would be left with none for herself.
Wiping a bit of milk from the corner of her lips, Akasha smiled faintly.
"Don't be so stingy. I only stole a bottle of milk… It's nothing compared to you quietly stealing something far more important from someone else."
"Huh?" Alexis blinked in confusion. "Akasha, what are you talking about?"
"You really don't get it? Or are you pretending not to? Come with me."
She tossed the empty bottle aside, grabbed Alexis by the wrist, and pulled her toward the opposite wing of the hallway—away from their rooms.
"W-wait—what are you doing?"
Alexis tried to pull away, but Akasha's grip was surprisingly strong, as if driven by something urgent.
"Just follow me quietly, Alexis Rhodes."
The hallway they entered no longer resembled the inn's warm, luxurious interior. Dim, narrow, and unfamiliar, they turned corner after corner until Alexis completely lost her sense of direction.
"This inn has a hidden passage this deep inside? And Akasha—how do you even know where you're going?"
No reply. As if guided by an unseen force, Akasha walked forward without slowing down.
Alexis swallowed hard. The atmosphere grew heavier with every step, sending chills down her spine.
"Akasha, where are you taking me? This place is seriously creeping me out…"
"We're here."
Releasing Alexis, Akasha stepped toward a faint blue glow at the end of the corridor.
"This is where we'll settle things, Alexis Rhodes!"
"…Why is there a Duel Arena hidden inside this inn?!"
Alexis stared in disbelief. Beyond the corridor stretched a Duel Field made entirely of shimmering blue ice. In a hot-spring resort by an active volcano, this sight was surreal.
Akasha tossed Alexis a Duel Disk already loaded with her Deck, then strapped one onto her own arm and took her place at the far end of the icy arena.
Looking down at the Deck in the Duel Disk, Alexis frowned.
"Huh? Why is my Deck here? I'm sure I left it in my backpack in the room…"
"Don't say I'm picking on you. I'm only taking back what belongs to me. And I'll be doing it using your Deck—to settle this seriously!"
"Settle it—here of all places?! At least tell me what this is about! You've been acting weird since earlier, Akasha!"
With a sharp mechanical whirl, both Duel Disks activated.
"After everything you've done, you still dare ask for an explanation? You stealing cat!"
[Akasha vs. Asuka]
[Duel—Start!]
"Since you're standing there stunned, I'll take the first turn!"
Akasha drew her opening hand and placed a Monster Card onto her Duel Disk.
"I Summon in Defense Position—Heroic Spirit – Medea Lily!"
[Heroic Spirit – Medea Lily ★★★★ (Level 4) | LIGHT | Spellcaster/Effect | ATK 1000 / DEF 1500]
Barefoot Medea Lily stepped gracefully onto the field, a violet magic circle scanning Akasha's Deck.
"When Heroic Spirit – Medea Lily is successfully Summoned, I can add 1 Spell/Trap card that lists 'Medea' in its text from my Deck to my hand."
Catching the searched card, Akasha immediately continued.
"Next, I activate the effect of Heroic Spirit – Nursery Rhyme in my hand! If a 'Lily' monster is on the field, I can Special Summon this card!"
[Heroic Spirit – Nursery Rhyme ★★★★ (Level 4) | DARK | Spellcaster/Effect | ATK 800 / DEF 800]
Climbing out of a pile of toys and snacks, Nursery Rhyme pointed an accusatory finger at Asuka.
"You thieving little cat—today, the Hero of justice, Nursery Rhyme, will punish you on Akasha's behalf!"
"S-stealing cat? What are you two even talking about?! I seriously don't understand…"
"Keep pretending, Alexis. Let's see how long that act lasts. When Nursery Rhyme is Special Summoned, her effect lets me add 1 Spell Card that lists 'Heroic Spirit' from my Deck to my hand."
Akasha added her second card. Unable to enter the Battle Phase on turn one, she set multiple cards.
"I Set 4 cards face-down. And lastly—Medea Lily's effect activates: once per turn, I gain 1000 Life Points."
[Akasha LP: 4000 → 5000]
"My turn ends."
[Akasha: 2 Hand Cards | 4 Set Cards]
"Hm? What are you two doing here? Whoa—this Duel Arena is made of ice?! That's so cool!"
Jaden, dressed in a yukata with both hands tucked into his sleeves, peeked in from the corridor entrance, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Oh, Akasha and Alexis, you're dueling? As expected of Obelisk Blue students—you never forget to train, even on a trip!"
"Jaden, why are you here?"
Both Akasha and Alexis turned toward him and spoke in unison.
Scratching the back of his head, Jaden laughed. "Ahaha, after the bath I got super hungry, so I went to look for the restaurant… but I got lost and somehow ended up here."
"To think you could get lost here of all places… That's so like you." Akasha pressed her fingers to her forehead, then sharply added, "But even if it's you, I won't allow anyone to interrupt this Duel!"
Jaden waved his hands frantically. "No, no, I won't interrupt! Actually, I came at the perfect time—I wanna see who's the strongest first-year in Obelisk Blue!"
There were only two top Obelisk Blue first-years: Akasha and Alexis. Jaden's comment hit the mark—this Duel could indeed determine who was the strongest among them.
Rubbing his arms against the chill, Jaden continued, "But seriously, you're dueling in yukata… in a place this freezing? That's hardcore."
"My turn—Draw!"
As if the cold didn't affect her at all, Alexis steeled her resolve after hearing Jaden's words and began her turn.
"I don't know why you're challenging me, Akasha, but I won't run away! Especially not from you—because if I aim to be the strongest female Duelist, then sooner or later, I'll have to face you head-on!"
Akasha's glare sharpened, her tone icy. "You sneak around behind my back, yet you dare say 'head-on'? Have you no shame?!"
Ignoring the incomprehensible accusation, Alexis slapped a Spell Card onto her Duel Disk.
"I'm familiar with your tactic style, Akasha! I activate the Spell Card—Harpie's Feather Duster!"
[Effect: Destroy all Spell/Trap cards your opponent controls.]
A green feather conjured a violent gust, surging toward Akasha's four face-down cards.
"If I clear your backrow, your trap-based strategies will collapse!"
"So that's the extent of your skill, Alexis?!"
Akasha pulled a card from her hand and slid it into her final empty Spell/Trap zone.
"The Counter Trap I searched last turn with Medea's effect—Rule Breaker, activate!"
[If you control "Heroic Spirit – Medea," you can activate this card from your hand.]
"(╯>д<)╯ ┻━┻"
"Rule Breaker negates the activation of Harpie's Feather Duster and returns it to the Deck!"
With a flash of Medea's Noble Phantasm, the raging winds vanished instantly.
"As expected of you… you're not easy to deal with."
Alexis continued without faltering. "I Summon in Defense Position—Cyber Petit Angel!"
[Cyber Petit Angel ★★ (Level 2) | LIGHT | Fairy/Effect | ATK 300 / DEF 200]
The round, pink mechanical cherub flapped its steel wings as it materialized on her field.
"When Cyber Petit Angel is Summoned, I can add 1 Machine Angel Ritual from my Deck to my hand!"
Adding the Ritual Spell she searched, Alexis swiftly activated it.
"Ritual Spell—Machine Angel Ritual!"
[This card can be used to Ritual Summon any "Cyber Angel" Ritual Monster. You must also Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal or exceed the Level of the Ritual Monster you Summon.]
"I Tribute Cyber Angel – Benten (Level 6) from my hand and Cyber Petit Angel (Level 2) on the field to Ritual Summon—Cyber Angel – Izana!"
The accumulated power of her Cyber Angels flowed into the ritual circle, and a radiant figure descended.
[Cyber Angel – Izana ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8) | LIGHT | Fairy/Ritual/Effect | ATK 2500 / DEF 2600]
Izana—named after the Sixth Heaven God of Desire, whose divine form appeared when Miyamoto Musashi released her Noble Phantasm.
The Cyber Angel – Izana Alexis summoned inherited that image—tall, graceful, and armed with four arms, each wielding a different weapon.
"When Cyber Angel – Benten is Tributed, I can add 1 LIGHT monster from my Deck to my hand!"
After searching, Alexis pointed at Akasha's Spell/Trap zone.
"When Cyber Angel – Izana is Ritual Summoned, you must send 1 Spell/Trap you control to the GY!"
Izana hurled her trident toward Akasha's field, forcefully detonating one of the face-downs.
"Hmph. Still targeting my backrow? Fine, take this one."
Akasha sent one of her face-downs—Magic Cylinder—to the Graveyard. Seeing that, Alexis exhaled in relief.
If Akasha activated Magic Cylinder during battle, Izana's attack could have instantly caused Alexis to lose more than half of her Life Points.
"Battle! Cyber Angel – Izana, attack!"
Alexis remained wary of the 3 remaining face-downs, but with Magic Cylinder gone, hesitation was no longer an option.
"You're bold, Alexis!" Jaden cheered. Few knew Akasha's trap-heavy strategy better than him. But even he would make the same choice.
After all, the legendary Duelist Yugi once said:
Even if you suspect a Trap, if you never attack, you'll never know the truth.
"Divine Heaven Blade—Izana Grand Celestial Strike!"
All four blades swung simultaneously as Izana charged at Medea.
Medea Lily remained calm, pulling out a small red button.
At the same moment, Akasha flipped her face-down Trap:
"My Trap activates—Child's Alarm!"
[When a "Lily" monster you control becomes the target of an attack or effect: Special Summon 1 Level 6 or lower "Heroic Spirit" monster from your Deck.]
"Thanks to Child's Alarm, I Special Summon 1 Level 6 or lower 'Heroic Spirit' monster from my Deck!"
Placing the card onto the field, a loud alarm echoed through the icy cavern as a new monster appeared to shield Medea.
"Please handle this! I Special Summon in Defense Position—Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lily!!"
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lily ★★★★ (Level 4) | LIGHT | Fairy/Effect | ATK 1000 / DEF 800]
"Why am I the one being dragged out by an alarm?!"
Wrapped in holy night radiance, Santa Alter Lily materialized, staring in panic at the incoming Izana.
"I'm a kid too! Someone protect me!!"