"Th-th-th, what is going on?"
Even more bewildered than You Ling returning to the Millennium Puzzle was Aisha Yuna Carlos, who was suddenly swapped onto the duel field.
Originally comfortably staying in the puzzle watching You Ling duel, incidentally spamming "666" (Chinese internet slang for 'awesome'), Aisha was at ease and contented.
Unexpectedly, she was directly attacked by the Pharaoh's sword and forcibly substituted onto the field.
The Pharaoh said seriously: "Player substitution, Yuna, you will take over the duel from here."
"Me taking over Mr. You Ling's duel... I can't do it, I definitely can't! Dueling, I've never won by myself..."
The more she spoke, the less confident she became, not to mention the opponent was the strongest Pharaoh whom even You Ling couldn't defeat, and currently, it was a desperate situation with only 1 trash monster hand card left.
Aisha Carlos, tasked with a critical mission at this moment, was so flustered that the silver-white ahoge atop her head trembled erratically.
"Aisha Yuna Carlos, believe in yourself. You possess a quality that You Ling does not. I hope that in future duels, the two of you will be in a state of mutual complementation, rather than simply relying on You Ling to fight."
Putting down his Duel Disk, the Pharaoh declared the end of his turn.
"Aisha and I, mutually complementing..."
Adding to his previous words, the Pharaoh's warning struck deep into his heart.
Only then did You Ling realize that recently, all duels had simply been him dueling in Aisha's place.
It seemed as if he only needed to help Aisha win all the duels, and everything would be perfectly resolved.
However, was this approach truly correct?
Making Aisha admire him, rely on him, unable to leave him.
Was this really the best way to get along with his host after transmigrating?
Indeed, since You Ling transmigrated, Aisha went from a dead-last with zero duel win rate to an elite powerhouse who hadn't lost a match, just like Kevin Set.
But this, was it truly what's called becoming stronger?
Victories in Fusion Academy duels indeed brought Aisha and You Ling rewards of academic points and Spell Points, crafting stronger Magic & Trap cards.
But Aisha's mentality, or rather, her essence, hadn't changed at all.
Even when Yilin successfully summoned Sparkman, in the Thursday summoning class, Aisha still summoned weak Normal Monsters with no effects.
——So-called growth, so-called becoming stronger, isn't like this.
"Listen to me, Aisha."
"[・_・?] Huh?"
"This duel, if it's just me playing, it's already very hard to win, but you're different, you know?"
"A duel even Mr. You Ling can't win, how can I..."
"Just as the Pharaoh said, believe in yourself. The cards I helped you craft, the tactics I chose for you, although still not enough to win this duel. But you are different; in this deck, there is a choice unique to you, a possibility unique to you."
"A possibility unique to me?"
Aisha's emerald-like eyes shifted to her deck in the Elven Eye.
"Recall the initial battle, Aisha. That was a victory only we could grasp by facing it together."
"The initial battle."
The duel with Kevin Set.
It was also the first time You Ling and Aisha truly faced a battle together in a meaningful way, a battle where victory and defeat would decide their future destinies.
The most crucial turning point in that battle wasn't any card You Ling chose to craft.
But Aisha Yuna Carlos's half-year of unyielding perseverance.
"I understand, Mr. You Ling. This time, I will take your place, let us fight side by side!"
Even more exaggerated than the duel with Kevin Set.
In the truest sense, the weakest VS the strongest.
The draw opportunity left for Aisha Carlos was only this once.
Fair fingertips pressed on the deck in the Elven Eye; ever since You Ling came to her side, Aisha seemed to have not experienced this feeling of drawing cards herself for a long time.
Her past self, every draw was filled with confusion, as if every draw was leading towards the darkness of defeat.
But now it was different.
After witnessing so many of You Ling's duels, Aisha had reacquainted herself with her deck and saw hope.
It didn't matter even if she lost; the direction guided by fighting with all her might was the path of growth.
"My turn, draw!"
The long-absent excitement of drawing a card from the deck herself ignited something called fighting spirit in Aisha for the first time in a duel.
"Hehe." The Pharaoh smiled with satisfaction, "After you draw a card, the Continuous Trap Card [Bond Between K Q J] activates, once per turn, revive [King's Knight] from my Graveyard!"
[King's Knight ATK: 1600]
The Poker Knight King, revived once again, raised his golden shield high; the infinite field presence ability brought by the Continuous Trap Card further widened the gap between the two sides.
If nothing unexpected happened, You Ling and Aisha would be directly crushed next turn by the reassembled three knights.
The only hope was Aisha's draw this turn.
And the possibility unique to Aisha, which You Ling mentioned.
"This card is, Mr. You Ling!"
"The last gamble, Aisha!"
"Mm!"
Aisha & You Ling: "Activate Magic Card [Hand Exchange]!"
The last card holding the hope of reversal was not any card crafted by You Ling, but the initial D-rank Magic personally chosen by Aisha.
"According to the effect of [Hand Exchange], let's exchange hands, Pharaoh."
Aisha currently only had one last hand card [White Dust Demon] left; the Pharaoh had no choice but to swap for this card.
But Aisha's side could choose one card to exchange from the Pharaoh's hand, which had been replenished to 4 cards.
"Found your own answer, Yuna? Then as a reward, choose freely!"
After taking the White Dust Demon from Aisha's hand, the Pharaoh, without any concealment, displayed all his hand cards.
"!!!"
Every card was one Aisha had never seen before.
Their rarity was also completely unknown, as if they were cards that simply didn't exist within this world's system.
Although Aisha didn't recognize a single one of these four cards, one card deeply attracted her.
As if guided by a brilliant light, Aisha extended her fair finger and lightly tapped.
"I'll choose this one."
"Take it, she also said she wanted to go to your side."
The Pharaoh readily handed over the card.
"Mm, my turn, end."
Holding the card taken from the Pharaoh, Aisha made no moves at all, directly ending her turn with an empty field.
"My turn, draw. Then the Continuous Trap Card [Bond Between K Q J] activates again, revive the last [Queen's Knight] from my Graveyard!"
[Queen's Knight ATK: 1500]
With just one card, all three Poker Knights were revived; this level of strength alone was not something Aisha's current deck could contend with.
"Then, after witnessing You Ling's excavation of monster potential, let me also witness the brilliance of your heart, Yuna! Direct attack from Jack's Knight!"
"Now is the time, I activate a monster effect from my hand!"
Holding the card exchanged from the Pharaoh's hand high above her head, Aisha felt for the first time that she possessed such courage in a duel.
Even if the opponent was the strongest, she must fight bravely.
This was the most important belief as a Duelist that You Ling had taught her.
At the girl's fingertips, the brilliant light of hopeful reversal bloomed at this moment.
"Goddess of Whim(Brilliant Reversal Goddess) !"