"Principal and interest combined, that comes to a total of 330 Magic Points. May I ask, sir, will you be paying in cash, by card, or with your body?"
"Is that really something a librarian is allowed to say?"
To avoid complications later, on the very night he finished the practical test, Miles pushed things right to the limit.
The Skill Credits from the practical test rewards, plus the natural growth of Magic Points from the Republic Knight's Badge, happened to reach the exact amount required for full repayment—principal and interest included—before midnight.
Irena said irritably, "Miles, you drag a beautiful girl out in the middle of the night just to repay a loan. Are you really not even going to let me run my mouth a little?"
"It can't be helped. Once it's past twelve, they'll charge another day of interest."
Fusion Academy's curfew was at 11 p.m. After curfew, the main entrance to the dorm building would be locked.
But something like a locked dorm entrance was no obstacle at all for these two.
For Irena, who had some grasp of spatial magic, there was nothing to explain. As for Miles, even if he lived on the top floor, he could still perform a silent leap of faith without a sound.
As the magic sigil was injected into the interior of the grimoire, accompanied by the rapid deduction of Magic Points, Miles once again returned to the blissful state of being debt-free.
For a brief instant, the interior of the Library was illuminated by the glow of magic. Then, it returned once more to darkness and silence.
"I've been at the academy for over two years now, and this is actually my first time sneaking into the library in the middle of the night. It's a space I'm already so familiar with, yet at night it feels especially fresh."
"Isn't that great? You get to experience something you've never done before graduating. Mhm, all thanks to me."
"Sigh…!"
Letting out a long breath, Irena's expression, which had been excited by the novelty of the night just a moment ago, suddenly turned gloomy.
"Why would you bring up something as sad as graduation at a time when the atmosphere is so nice, Miles?"
"Is graduation really something worth being sad about?"
Miles vaguely remembered that before transmigrating, all he wanted was to graduate as soon as possible. That way, he wouldn't have to attend classes and could have more time to play cards.
But looking at it from the other side, classes at Duel Academy were basically just playing cards anyway, so whether one graduated or not didn't really seem to matter.
Besides, he was only a first-year now.
"Graduation itself isn't something to be sad about. Farewells are."
It was rare for Irena to be this serious. Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating half of the girl's delicate face.
"Especially for third-years. There's only one month left before we leave the academy and head to the Spirit Sanctuary. The amount of time we can truly spend with you all here at the academy is actually already very limited."
"That does seem to be the case."
Subconsciously, Miles was still applying the rules from when he was in school himself. He naturally assumed that even if the senior third-years were about to graduate, there would still be nearly a full year to spend together.
After all, he had only transmigrated here less than half a year ago. A graduation season a year away still felt impossibly distant.
But the rules of the Spirit Continent were different.
Most of a third-year's time would be spent in the Spirit Sanctuary's Tri-Academy Ranking War.
By the time the seniors returned from battle, what awaited them would already be the graduation season that symbolized farewell.
"Ah I really want to repeat a year" Irena tilted her head back and sighed.
"That doesn't sound like something the Gray Witch, one of the academy's twin pillars, would say, Irena."
"Miles, tell me… if we set the library on fire in the middle of the night, would that make us repeat a year?"
"That would get you expelled. And don't say 'we'. I'm not joining you in doing something stupid."
"I'm just joking."
"Then why is there already a spark lit on your fingertip?"
It was obvious that Irena really didn't want to graduate alone.
Although Kaima, who was also a third-year, would be graduating as well, she had already taken over the family business. Recently, the number of times she showed up at the academy had become quite few.
"Sometimes I envy Kaima. She already has her direction settled for after graduation. She won't get lost at all."
"You can't put it that way. From another perspective, Kaima might end up envying you instead, Irena. A life without constraints, free and easy."
"A life without constraints, free and easy…"
After pausing to think for a moment, Irena, her light-blue eyes spinning, suddenly seemed to think of something.
"Oh, right! Miles, let me ask you something. Do you want to participate in this year's Spirit Sanctuary Ranking War?"
"Huh? What did I even say that suddenly made you think of that?"
"Just answer me. Do you want to or not?"
If you asked whether Miles wanted to, then of course he did.
Words once spoken by "Yusei Fudo"—about this world's secrets continuing to lure at his curiosity—still echoed in his mind.
However, even though Miles had enrolled in Fusion Academy, he was currently only a first-year. If he truly wanted to participate in battles at the Spirit Sanctuary, he would still have to wait another two years.
"I do want to. But I've heard the regulations on that are pretty strict…"
"Regulations are dead. People are alive!"
As they spoke, Irena's expression seemed to return to the excitement she had shown when they first snuck into the darkened library.
"Since you want to participate, Miles, then when the time comes, just leave all the troublesome stuff to me to handle."
"Is that… reliable?"
"Success rate: fifty percent!"
"Half, huh. That's… impressively subtle."
In the end, even after the two of them parted ways and returned to their respective dorms, Miles still hadn't figured out what kind of scheme Irena was brewing.
However, before truly heading to the Spirit Sanctuary, Miles still had another extremely important matter to take care of.
Or rather, he had a premonition that this matter absolutely had to be resolved before going to the Spirit Sanctuary.
The feeling was like having a mandatory prerequisite quest waiting to be cleared before starting the main storyline.
That matter was the issue of Yuna Carlos.
From his conversation with Yuna Carlos inside the obelisk tower, as well as an even earlier conversation with the Pharaoh on the back mountain, the scattered clues allowed Miles to guess that these two likely knew each other.
And the reason Aisha had been able to summon the Millennium Puzzle, and later even summon The Winged Dragon of Ra, was likely related to this as well.
From the earlier discussion between Miles and Aisha, in order to clarify the truth about this rather mysterious ancestor of the Carlos family, they had agreed to make a trip together back to the Carlos family's territory—Lukao.
To ask Alice, or investigate the related records left behind within the family.
Since they didn't know how many days it would take, requesting leave was a must.
As for the reason given to the academy for the leave, they would go with what Aisha suggested—returning home to pay respects to their ancestors.
As for when to request leave.
The following day, Saturday, was the scheduled time for the second-year practical test duel.
Aisha planned to wait until this practical test duel was finished before requesting a week of leave from the academy.
This was also a rare occasion on which Aisha would take a duel so seriously.
According to her, this would be the first duel she would have to experience alone after Miles left. She had to go all out in every sense of the word.
No longer the kind of person who relied on him for everything or avoided battle, Aisha's growth to this point left Miles feeling deeply gratified.
Anyhow, in Miles's view, Aisha's dueling strength was already enough to clash head-on with Krista, the ace duelist of Synchron Academy's third years.
Looking across the second-year students of Fusion Academy, there were probably very few who could stop her anymore.
So the question was, which unlucky soul would end up becoming Aisha's opponent in this week's practical duel, at a time when she was more serious than ever before.
To be honest, Miles was quite curious.
"Um, next up is…"
Under the warm afternoon sunlight, Miss Erin's voice sounded a little languid.
The second-year practical test duels were already more than halfway through. Ren and Kevin had both secured easy victories.
Since those two were already finished, the remaining second-years posed even less of a threat to Aisha.
"Let me see. Student Aisha Carlos versus… hmm, Mizuki!"
Well then, the unlucky one had been confirmed.
Mizuki, with her pink hair, was clearly wearing an expression that wasn't quite right.
The expression of someone with no hope of victory.
And in everyone's eyes, Aisha Carlos was now the strongest duelist at Fusion Academy.
"It doesn't matter! Even if I lose, I'll still fight with everything I've got! Come on, Aisha!"
"Ohhh, let's have a fair and square duel, Mizuki!"
On the second-year duel arena, unexpectedly, both sides looked highly motivated.
"I'll go first! Draw!"
Taking the first turn, Mizuki scanned her hand, her face lighting up with joy.
"I've drawn the nuts!"
What is this, mahjong?
"I activate the Field Spell from my hand: [Fusion Gate]!"
[As long as this card remains on the field, it can be used in place of the Spell Card "Polymerization" to perform Fusion Summons. When performing a Fusion Summon using this card, the Fusion Materials are not sent to the Graveyard and are banished instead.]
Right from the start, the surrounding field environment was altered, as the Fusion-exclusive Field Spell unfolded on Mizuki's side of the field.
"Heh, didn't expect Mizuki to have a rare card like that."
If Miles remembered correctly, this Field Spell [Fusion Gate], which provided unlimited Fusion opportunities, was an A-rank rarity Fusion Spell, just like the [Dragon's Mirror] Kaima had given him.
"I'd like to see what this girl can even fuse into."
After [Fusion Gate] fully activated, Mizuki tossed four cards from her hand in one motion toward the spiraling Fusion gate that connected to another dimension on the field.
"I use [The Forgiving Maiden] and [Fallen Angel Mary] from my hand to Fusion Summon—[St. Joan]!"
[St. Joan] Level 7│LIGHT│Fairy│2800 ATK
"Then I use [Rock Ogre] and [Ancient Elf] from my hand to Fusion Summon—[Mystical Sand]!"
[Mystical Sand] Level 6│EARTH│Rock│2100 ATK
Oh my God. Just look at what this girl fused.
She set up such a flashy [Fusion Gate], only to end up fusing two effectless vanilla Fusion monsters.
This is what you call drawing the nuts?
"It's not over yet." Looking at the last remaining card in her hand, Mizuki smiled mysteriously. "I can still fuse one more time!"
With only a single monster card left, Mizuki made a bold declaration that she could still perform another Fusion Summon!
"I discard [Thunder Dragon] from my hand to activate its effect!"
[You can activate this effect by discarding this card from your hand. Add up to 2 "Thunder Dragon" from your Deck to your hand.]
"After adding the other two [Thunder Dragon] from my Deck to my hand, I fuse the two Thunder Dragons through [Fusion Gate]!—Come forth! [Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon]!"
[Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon] Level 7│LIGHT│Thunder│2800 ATK
And in the end, it was still a vanilla Fusion monster.
With a godly opening hand, Mizuki opened the field with [Fusion Gate] and performed a total of three Fusion Summons in a single turn.
How should one put it… Compared to her axe-swinging days in first year, after advancing to second year, Mizuki really had become quite a bit stronger.
Two Fusion monsters with 2800 Attack, plus one Fusion monster with 2100 Attack.
At the very least, being able to fuse out a field like this in one go, Mizuki would have no problem instantly crushing any first-year-level underclassman.
"Well? Aisha, I can be pretty amazing too, right!"
"(￣ー￣) Mm-hm, very impressive."
"It's your turn, Aisha!"
After three consecutive Fusion Summons, Mizuki had naturally exhausted her entire hand and had nothing left to do.
"My turn. Draw!"
As the turn changed, Aisha drew a card from her dazzling Spirit Eyes.
"In that case, I'll fight using Fusion Summoning as well!"
With a flick of her slender fingers, Aisha hurled a Spell Card overhead.
In the next instant, the sky darkened as if massive storm clouds had blotted out the sun, cutting off the sunlight that bathed the field.
Little Nova looked up at the suddenly darkened sky and asked Miles nervously, "A phenomenon that changes heaven and earth? Is it the descent of a god?!"
Miles raised his head and looked carefully, then reached a conclusion. "No. It's a super-massive block of tofu."
When a God Card descended, aside from gathering dark clouds, it was usually accompanied by surging thunder and lightning.
And right now, the reason the sunlight overhead was blocked was simply because an enormous block of tofu was floating in the sky.
"—I activate the Equip Spell Card [Future Fusion]!"
[Select 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, then send the Fusion Material monsters determined for it from your Deck to the Graveyard. Special Summon the selected monster in face-up Attack Position and equip this card to it. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.) The Fusion Monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack during that turn. When this card is destroyed, destroy that Fusion Monster.]
"From my Deck, I send three [Mokey Mokey] to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon [Mokey Mokey King]!"
[Mokey Mokey King] Level 6│LIGHT│Fairy│300 ATK
["Mokey Mokey" + "Mokey Mokey" + "Mokey Mokey"]
Aisha directly threw out [Future Fusion], and the massive [Mokey Mokey King] Fusion Summoned straight from the Deck made its appearance.
However, monsters Fusion Summoned by [Future Fusion] cannot attack during the turn they are summoned.
Of course, no one would really expect to attack with [Mokey Mokey King] anyway.
"Then I activate the effect of [Mokey Mokey Adrift] from my hand!"
[You can activate this effect by discarding this card from your hand. Add 1 "Mokey Mokey" card other than "Mokey Mokey Adrift" from your Deck to your hand.]
"I discard [Mokey Mokey Adrift], add the Continuous Spell Card [Mokey Mokey Smackdown] from my Deck to my hand and activate it! Then, in Attack Position, I Normal Summon a second [Mokey Mokey Adrift] from my hand!"
[Mokey Mokey Adrift ATK: 300]
On Aisha's field stood two Mokey Mokey—one large and one small.
￣ー￣?
-Д-?
The bewildered expressions spread to the surrounding students who were watching the duel.
"Miles, what is Aisha trying to do?" Nova couldn't help but ask.
"No way…" Probably only Miles in the entire crowd could see it. "Is this really the strategy Aisha came up with? It's actually kind of terrifying."
"Terrifying?" Little Nova tilted her head. "What's terrifying about it? Mokey Mokeys are obviously so cute."
"You'll understand once Mokey Mokey get angry."
"I activate a Quick-Play Spell!" Aisha slammed down one last card onto the field. "Double Cyclone!"
[Target 1 Spell/Trap you control and 1 Spell/Trap your opponent controls; destroy them.]
As one yellow and one red tornado appeared on Aisha's field, the explosive Mokey Mokey combo was finally complete.
"I use the effect of [Double Cyclone] to destroy my [Future Fusion], and at the same time, destroy your [Fusion Gate]!"
The two Fusion Spell Cards were both shredded to pieces by the raging tornadoes.
However, destroying [Fusion Gate] was only incidental. Aisha's true objective was to destroy the [Future Fusion] equipped to Mokey Mokey King.
The Equip Spell Card [Future Fusion] had what could be called a side-effect.
[When this card is destroyed, destroy that Fusion Monster.]
Originally, this side-effect existed to restrain [Future Fusion]'s overly powerful single-card Fusion effect.
Yet Aisha turned this drawback on its head and made use of it instead.
"Because [Future Fusion] is destroyed, the [Mokey Mokey King] on my field is destroyed as well. Effect activation!"
The gigantic tofu block floating in the sky and blotting out the heavens instantly disintegrated. In its place, countless small tofu Mokey Mokey filled the air.
[When this card leaves the field, you can Special Summon as many "Mokey Mokey" as possible from your Graveyard.]
"I Special Summon all the [Mokey Mokey] in my Graveyard in Attack Position!"
Three normal Mokey Mokey, plus the discarded Mokey Mokey Adrift in the Graveyard, were Special Summoned by Mokey Mokey King's parting effect.
Together with the Mokey Mokey Adrift Aisha had already Normal Summoned earlier this turn, it formed a lineup of the strongest five [Mokey Mokey].
"And finally, the effect of the Continuous Spell Card [Mokey Mokey Smackdown]!"
"Because the Fairy monster [Mokey Mokey King] was destroyed, until the End Phase, the Attack of all [Mokey Mokey] on my field becomes 3000!"
The question marks over everyone's heads instantly turned into exclamation points.
The five Mokey Mokey gathered on Aisha's field had their Attack values skyrocket in perfect sync, all becoming 3000 in an instant.
[Mokey Mokey, ATK: 300 → 3000] ×3
[Mokey Mokey Adrift, ATK: 300 → 3000] ×2
Miles suddenly felt his vision blur. After rubbing his eyes and opening them again, it was as if he were looking at five Blue-Eyes White Dragons on Aisha's field.
Converted at equal value, this was combat power comparable to five Blue-Eyes White Dragons.
This was not something Mizuki could possibly withstand with a bunch of vanilla Fusion monsters.
"Th-th-this… what kind of strategy is this, Miles?"
The stunned little princess Nova had never imagined that her beloved cute Mokey Mokey could be this terrifyingly strong.
"If you insist on calling it a strategy… then I guess you could say it's Aisha's crash-and-claim strategy? Or the ultimate Mokey Mokey mob-beating tactic?"
"Charge!" Aisha, brimming with fighting spirit, swung her slender arm forward and declared the battle. "Angry Mokey Mokey! Five-hit combo!"
With no ability to resist, Mizuki's field was drowned beneath a flood of red, enraged tofu blocks, beaten into the ground by the mob assault.
"(●-`Д?-)ノ! Explo-slay!"
[Mizuki, LP: 4000 → 0]
"I can't accept this!!"
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