Mikitaka let go of the camera and it flew over to Yukina fighting John and Albert. I saw a glimpse of Nora trudging his way downstairs to leave the mall. However, Mikitaka stopped him to have a chat of some kind, presumably.

While watching the replays of her fight, two pop-ups appeared on my visor.

"Albert Obama is Dead."

"John Fields is Dead."

It seems that I couldn't catch the tail end of her 2 vs 1. In any case, she had successfully managed to take down two D Class students. This only meant one more fight left was possible.

"Yare yare... killin' the rest of my classmates when yer friends couldn't... ya have guts, woman. However, yer facin' the great villain Takenaka Mikitaka now! I'm the emissary of revenge for the homies ya killed! Prepare yerself for the worst night of yer life!"

Yukina, breathless from her intense and unusual fight earlier, looked at Mikitaka with narrowed eyes.

"...bring it."

Mikitaka and Yukina locked visors, before another pop-up appeared on my visor.

"Horie Kanon is Dead."

I checked the ground floor and saw Kawaguchi had just won his fight against the female class representative. This was huge, as it poked a hole in D Class's second in command. Now the only person left with leadership to take down was Zyriot.

However, the other fight on the ground floor intrigued me. An overly serious looking Shimizu, which wasn't like her at all, was fighting against an overly timid Tadokoro.

The two shy girls of our classes were fighting, but one seemed more confident than the other. What gives?

Shimizu stood tall with a valour I had never seen her with before. If I hadn't met her before this war, I would've guessed she was naturally confident from the way she was conducting herself. I guess cardfighting really can change a person's mindset, huh?

In contrast, Tadokoro was a shaking mess. Her nervousness was clear to see from her reserved stance and jittering hands. In all honesty, I expected her to die in this fight, so there was no real point in watching it, but I was intrigued enough by Shimizu's shift in attitude that it kept my attention.

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Aiming for the Stars, Artemis!"

"B-Blow Bubble Dracokid!"

"First Turn: Shimizu Hoshimi."

"Stand and draw! I discard and ride Supportive Sorcerer, Communis! I draw from Artemis! Communis' skill, I put Kukurihime from my hand to soul and draw! Turn end."

Shimizu:
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
Soul: 2
OXO
OOO

Tadokoro:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"S-stand and draw... I-I ride Wheel Assault from the Ride Deck... um, I draw and get a Quick Shield from Blow Bubble... W-Wheel Assault attacks! (8000)"

"No guard!"

"D-drive check! (Blue Wings of Empathy, Makarios)"

"Damage check! (Mythic Beast, Hati)"

"T-turn end."

Shimizu:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
Soul: 2
OXO
OOO

Tadokoro:
Hand: 8
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I discard and ride Battle Maiden, Mutsuki! Her skill, I counterblast and soulblast to draw a card and get an Imaginary Gift: Force on my vanguard circle! Imaginary Gift: Force I! (10000 > 20000) I call Strong Bow of the Starry Night, Ulixes! Ulixes attacks! (10000)"

"Q-Quick Shield! (13000)"

"Ulixes' skill, he goes into soul, and I draw then soulcharge! Mutsuki attacks! (20000)"

"N-no guard!"

"Drive check! (Goddess of the Milky Way, Pleione)"

"D-damage check! (Blue Wings of Faith, Basilia)"

"Turn end!"

Shimizu:
Hand: 8
Damage: 1
Soul: 4
OXO
OOO

Tadokoro:
Hand: 7
Damage: 1
OXO
OOO

"S-stand and draw! I-I ride Blue Wings of Obduracy, Simeon from the Ride Deck! Um... Wheel's skill, I counterblast to draw a card and call a card from my hand... um, I-I call Coral Assault... then, I call Phayllos, Makarios, Wheel, and another Coral... b-boosted by Makarios... Phayllos attacks! (9000 > 17000)"

"Communis guards! (20000)"

"S-Simeon attacks! (11000)"

"Cyber Tiger guards! (25000) No pass!"

"Drive check! (Wheel Assault) B-boosted by Wheel... Coral attacks! (9000 > 17000) S-since I have four or more rest rear-guards, he gets +15k... (17000 > 32000)"

"No guard! (Venus Witch, Reppler)"

"W-Wheel's skill, I switch the position of the Coral in my front row with the Coral in my back row... C-Coral attacks... (9000) H-he gets +15k... (9000 > 24000)"

"No guard! (Goddess of Self-sacrifice, Kushinada) Draw trigger! I draw and give all to vanguard! (10000 > 20000)"

"T-turn end... b-both of my Coral's skill, since I attacked four or more times this turn, they go into soul and I draw a card for each..."

Impressively, Tadokoro had managed to do four high powered attacks on turn 2 through precise usage of Wheel and Coral. It was a basic combo, but it was very effective at forcing Shimizu to take damage and guard. Maybe I had unfairly underestimated Tadokoro's base skill level in my initial assessment of her.

Shimizu:
Hand: 7
Damage: 3
Soul: 4
OXO
OOO

Tadokoro:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
OXX
XOX

"Stand and draw! An all seeing existence. Omnipresent and omnipotent, the herald of the stars awakens the twelve constellations! I discard and ride my avatar, Oracle Queen, Himiko! (13000 > 23000)"

"Imaginary Gift: Force I! To the left rear-guard circle! I call Mythical Destroyer Beast, Vanargandr, Mythic Beast, Hati, Battle Maiden, Mihikarihime, and Goddess of the Milky Way, Pleione! (13000 > 23000) Hati's skill, soulcharge 2! Mihikarihime's skill, the next time I soulblast, it's reduced by three! Pleione's skill, I scry three and put one into soul, the rest go back on top in any order! Himiko's skill, I soulblast 5, reduced to soulblast 2, put a draw trigger from my soul to the bottom of my deck, and that trigger effect activates for each grade of your vanguard! Since you're grade 2, I activate the draw trigger twice, drawing two and giving power to Vanargandr and Himiko! (13000 > 23000) (23000 > 33000) Skill, activate!

Shimizu's visor began glowing starry pink.

"Divine Clairvoyance! When I soulblast, I draw a card! And since I soulblasted this turn, Hati gets +5k! (8000 > 13000) Boosted by Mihikarihime, Vanargandr attacks! (23000 > 31000)"

"N-no guard! (Blue Wings of Obdurancy, Simeon)"

"Vanargandr's skill, I put him into soul, scry three, put one into soul, one on the bottom of my deck, and one on the top of my deck! Himiko attacks! (33000) Everlasting Horoscope!"

"N-no guard...!"

"Twin Drive!! (Witch of Big Pots, Laurier) Heal trigger! All to Pleione, healing a damage! (23000 > 33000) (Venus Witch, Reppler)"

"D-damage check... (Navalgazer Dragon)"

"Boosted by Hati, Pleione attacks! (33000 > 46000)"

"N-no guard! (Supersonic Sailor) C-critical... all to vanguard... (11000 > 21000)"

"Turn end!"

Shimizu:
Hand: 8
Damage: 2
Soul: 5
XXO
XOX

Tadokoro:
Hand: 6
Damage: 4
OXX
XOX

"S-Shimizu-san... um... c-can I ask you a question...?"

"E-eh? What is it?"

"I-it's a bit weird to say... but, um... when did you... or, um, how did you... become so strong...?"

"A-ah? I-I don't think I'm that strong..."

Shimizu immediately became shy once she was conversing with Tadokoro normally. I suppose that means she only has confidence while cardfighting.

"I-I meant like... in this fight, you seem... m-more confident? I-I don't know how to explain... b-but I admire it..."

"Um... t-thank you, I guess? It's not that I'm really confident, or anything... it's more like... umm..."

Shimizu twirled the ends of her pink hair as she tried to express her thoughts to Tadokoro.

"It's more like... I have this strength because of the people I've played with over the years. People such as... Yami-kun, who taught me how to play Vanguard! Or Itsuki-nii, who always played it with me when we were young! Or Zyriot-kun, the person who gave me courage to fight in this war!"

Tadokoro's eyes widened slightly.

"Because I had their support... their way of fighting rubbed off on me, I guess? E he he... I can't really explain it well, but... playing Vanguard just feels natural for me. This game is what connected me with the people I love... that's why I'll treasure it forever."

"Shimizu-san..."

Tadokoro was in awe.

"A-ah, sorry... I-I was being weird for a second there..."

"N-no! Y-you were super cool!"

"I-I was...?"

"Y-yes! I, um... I asked you that question because... umm... the next card I'm riding... was given to me by a very important person... so knowing your strength come from others too... it gives me a bit of confidence."

Tadokoro clenched her fist and put it in front of her heart.

"S-stand and draw... I'll swing down my sword and slice right through the calm before the storm! T-this is the courage... Kawaguchi-kun gave me...! I ride my avatar... Last Card, Revonn, from the Ride Deck!"

"I-Imaginary Gift... Accel II! Draw a card... I call, Blue Wings of Faith, Basilia, and use her skill... counterblast and reveal three cards from the top of my deck... (Blue Wings of Resonance, Maxios, Blue Wings of Obduracy, Simeon, Battleship Intelligence) I-I add all the Blue Wings to my hand..."

Two for three, not bad.

"I call, Maxios and Simeon... (11000 > 16000) R-Revonn's skill, I rest Basilia and Himiko loses -5k!"

"E-eh?! (13000 > 8000)"

Shimizu squeaked as her vanguard lost power.

"S-since I have four or more Blue Wings, Maxios gets 10k (7000 > 17000), and Makarios protects all my rear-guards from being chosen by your card effects... um, b-boosted by Wheel, Maxios attacks! (17000 > 25000)"

"Laurier guards! (28000)"

"W-Wheel's skill, I switch Simeon and Phayllos' positions... (9000 > 14000) P-Phayllos attacks! (14000) P-Phayllos' skill... when he attacks, since I have four or more Blue Wings, I counterblast and soulblast to stand him...!"

"Hati guards! (18000)"

"P-Phayllos attacks again...! (14000)"

"Communis guards! (18000)"

"B-boosted by Makarios, Simeon attacks! (11000 > 19000)"

"No guard! (Strong Bow of the Starry Night, Ulixes)"

"R-Revonn..."

Tadokoro looked over her shoulder, where Kawaguchi was standing behind her supportively. Meeting her eyes, he gave her a thumbs up.

"Thank you, Kawaguchi-kun... for giving me these wings. Revonn attacks! (12000) Since I have five or more rested rear-guards, Revonn gets +15k and +1 drive! (12000 > 27000/2d > 3d) Blue Wing Arpeggio!"

Revonn was the perfect boss for Blue Wings. Not only did it want to attack after all the rear-guards attacked, but it also gained an extra drive check to increase the chances of hitting a heal trigger.

"Kushinada perfect guards!"

"T-triple Drive!!! (Blue Storm Marine General, Despina) C-critical trigger! Um, I give it all to... S-Simeon! (11000 > 21000/1 > 2) (Blue Wings of Great Cause, Phayllos, Medical Officer of the Rainbow Elixir) H-heal trigger!"

Miraculously, Tadokoro had got it. A heal trigger to stand all of her Blue Wings units.

"A-all of my Blue Wings skills! When I drive check a heal trigger, they all stand! I-I give the power to Phayllos! (14000 > 24000) Then I... a-ah, wait! Umm, Skill activate!"

In her rush of adrenaline and excitement from getting her deck's gimmick off, Tadokoro nearly forgot to use her Skill. Her visor started glowing cerulean blue.

"E-Emerald Wings! When I drive check a non-heal trigger unit, I can stand one of my rear-guards! I-I stand Wheel Assault!"

And with that, Tadokoro's board was now fully stood.

"P-Phayllos attacks! (24000)"

"No guard! (Goddess of the Milky Way, Pleione)"

"B-boosted by Wheel Assault, Maxios attacks! (17000 > 25000)"

"No guard! (Talisman Angel) Draw trigger! All to Himiko, drawing a card! (8000 > 18000)"

"Boosted by Makarios... Simeon attacks! (21000 > 29000/2)"

"Kukurihime guards! (33000)"

What should've been a two card guard had been reduced to one due to the damage trigger.

"T-turn end!"

Even though she couldn't close out the game that turn, Tadokoro still looked proud of herself, as she had managed to push Shimizu to the brink of death on turn 3.

Shimizu:
Hand: 3
Damage: 5
Soul: 5
XXO
XOX

Tadokoro:
Hand: 9
Damage: 4
XXXX
   XXX

OST: Variable Heart

"Stand and draw! An all seeing existence. Equinox and solstice, divide the night sky in twelve, and envisage a beacon of salvation for the lost pieces of time! I persona ride my avatar, Oracle Queen, Himiko!"

"Imaginary Gift: Force I! I call two Venus Witch, Reppler! Their skills, when they're called, I put a card from my drop zone into my soul!"

Shimizu put the Kukurihime and Kushinada she used to guard last turn to guarantee triggers in soul for Himiko's skill.

"Himiko's skill! I soulblast five and put a critical trigger from my soul to the bottom of my deck, and that trigger effect activates for each grade of your vanguard! Now that you're grade 3, I activate the trigger three times! I put everything on Himiko! (23000 > 53000/1 > 4)"

Unexpectedly, Shimizu chose to give everything to the vanguard. Did she somehow know Tadokoro didn't use any sentinels? That would be the only reason why she'd stack all triggers on Himiko, to force Tadokoro to hard guard a massive vanguard. If she knew that piece of information, this play would make sense, but Tadokoro had revealed nothing so far that indicated that.

It would be safer to assume she had a sentinel, especially because her hand was so big. Even then, if Shimizu wanted to make the vanguard excessively threatening, she could put all power on Himiko, and split the critical bonus between her and the two Reppler for maximum pressure. I had no clue what she was doing. This looked like a massive misplay.

"Himiko attacks! (53000/4) Everlasting Horoscope!"

At four damage, Tadokoro had no choice but to guard this with whatever shield she had.

"I-I guard with Medical Officer, Despina, Sailor, and Wheel! (12000 > 32000 > 47000 > 62000 > 72000) T-two to pass!"

"Twin Drive!! (Battle Maiden, Mihikarihime, Cyber Tiger) Critical trigger! All to Himiko! (53000 > 63000/4 > 5)"

What? Even though the attack wouldn't hit, Shimizu still put everything on vanguard. Does that mean earlier wasn't a misplay? 

"Boosted by Mihikarihime, Reppler attacks! (20000 > 28000) Reppler's skill, I counterblast and she gets the power and critical Himiko received this turn from trigger effects! (28000 > 68000/1 > 5)"

So this is what Shimizu was building up to... she stacked all triggers on Himiko so she could use Reppler's skill to copy it. Instead of spreading the four critical triggers, it was more like she had given everyone four critical triggers each. Terrifying.

"I-Intelligence, Sailor, Makarios, Phayllos, and Coral guards! (12000 > 27000 > 42000 > 52000 > 57000 > 62000) P-Phayllos and Simeon, intercept! (62000 > 67000 > 72000)"

Thankfully, Tadokoro had enough shield to stop that attack, but it costed her the rest of the cards in her hand and her two intercepts. This meant Shimizu's next and final attack would hit, whether Tadokoro wanted it to or not.

"Boosted by Hati, Reppler attacks! (20000 > 28000) Hati's skill, he gets +5k since I soulblasted this turn! (28000 > 33000) Reppler's skill, I counterblast and she gets the power and critical Himiko received this turn from trigger effects! (33000 > 73000/1 > 5)"

This was it. With no cards in hand or field to guard with, Tadokoro was forced to take the damage.

"N-no... n-no... no guard...! (Blue Wings of Obduracy, Simeon)"

A huge concentrated beam of light from Reppler's magnifying glass shaped staff rushed through Revonn like a tidal wave, sweeping him off his feet and onto the ground in an overwhelming defeat.

Feeling the weight of the attack blast through her, Tadokoro staggered back and started to collapse from the shock. Before she could fall to the ground, Kawaguchi caught her in his arms.

"Tadokoro-san! Oi, Tadokoro-san! Wake up, get a hold of yourself!"

He gently slapped her cheeks to get her to wake up, but it was no use. Shimizu's victory had blasted her into unconsciousness.

"Tadokoro-san!"

Kawaguchi cried out desperately once more before her visor dissipated, crumbling away. A pop-up appeared on my visor.

"Tadokoro Yumiko is Dead."

Gently placing her down on the floor, Kawaguchi, with a bitter look on his face, looked at Shimizu fiercely.

"...I swear I'll get revenge for both Akari-san and Tadokoro-san!"

Shimizu stayed still, eyes closed, her mind focused elsewhere. She didn't pay attention to Kawaguchi, even though he would be who she was fighting next... at least, in theory.

The sound of mysterious footsteps echoed through the silent hallway. Just as Kawaguchi was about to fight Shimizu, an unknown voice caught him off guard.

"Good job stalling him, Hoshimi."

Kawaguchi's eyes widened as he heard that voice. The footsteps became louder, drawing nearer and nearer, echoing irregularly, like it had a limp.

"H-huh...?"

Kawaguchi's face, pale as a ghost, reluctantly looked over his shoulder to see who was approaching him from behind. When he met eyes with that man, his shoulders dropped.

"B-but I thought... you weren't participating... in the war..."

"Now where did you hear that from?"

"Takanori-san told us... he heard it from Satou-san..."

"Oh, so that means our plan actually worked. Nice!"

"What do you mean...?"

"C'mon now, Masaru. Don't you remember what kind of person I am?"

"Of course I do... Zenkichi."

Emerging onto the screen was Shigeru Zenkichi.