"So, why did you do this then?"

As I asked that question, Saionji took a seat on the table.

"There's another reason why you don't want to join, isn't there?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"Sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't have to hide it from me. I can tell you're not opposed to what's being offered, so that means your hesitancy to join lies elsewhere."

"...I think you're misunderstanding something here. I respect what you're doing, and I wish you the best of success in your thesis, but I really don't have any interest of participating in this kind of thing."

"And why is that?"

I closed my eyes and looked away.

"Because I felt nothing in my heart stir when you explained what your project was about to me. That's all."

Saionji laughed.

"You're a terrible liar, Takanori-san. I saw fear in your heart earlier."

"...fear?"

Saionji nodded.

"Yes, fear. You're scared of something, aren't you?"

I opened my eyes and looked up at her.

"...I'm not."

"It's alright, Takanori-san. You don't have to lie around me. You can tell me the truth. I'll accept it all."

"Saionji-san... like I said, I'm not scared of anything. Please stop having the wrong idea about me."

"You say that, but the look in your eyes and the words coming out of your mouth tell a completely different story."

"You don't get to decide that... only I do. And right now, the words I'm saying are truthful. Why won't you believe me?"

Saionji sighed, shaking her head.

"I don't believe you because you keep dodging my questions and refuse to tell me what's holding you back from joining. If you say what the problem is, then we can work together to find a solution or a way to get around it. I'm more than happy to accommodate any worries or needs you may have."

"...everyone has their own secrets they want to keep. And in this case, I don't have any reason to tell you mine. To put it bluntly... I don't trust you at all, Saionji-san."

Admittedly, I did feel bad for using such a forceful tone when saying that. I knew Saionji was just trying to help me by getting me to open up about my problems, but this was something I couldn't explain to anybody at all.

"Fair enough. If I was in your position, I might even feel the same way. However..."

Saionji got off the table and turned to face me.

"...if you're not willing to cooperate through normal means, you leave me no other choice, Takanori-san."

From her belt, she detached a sangria coloured deck box, and placed it on the table.

"Let's fight. The winner gets to make the loser do one thing of their choosing."

I stared at the deck box, flashing back to vivid memories of the time Mikazuchi-sensei fought me under similar conditions.

Considering how much of her true strength that Saionji revealed to me already, it was an obvious trap to accept her proposal.

She would win the fight and get her way, so by accepting it, I was essentially signing away my life to her.

It would be the same as walking straight into the jaws of death, both figuratively and literally.

I'm not so foolish as to take up an offer that so obviously puts me at a disadvantage...

...but even so.

If I tried to leave, I can't help but think Mikazuchi-sensei will force me to join somehow anyways, even if I'm adamant about not wanting to. After all, he's probably wanting a return from all the investment he's put in me.

And more annoyingly, knowing what kind of meddlesome teacher he is, he's probably already taking preemptive countermeasures against Chabashira-sensei too, like talking her out of backing me if I were to go to her for support.

"In that case, try not to make so much trouble for her from now, yeah?"

...and, for a more selfish reason, I didn't want to add any more to her burden than I already have. She's done more than enough for me already.

In her own twisted way, Saionji was showing me mercy.

She was allowing me to have a choice in a matter I had very little agency to begin with. If she wanted me to join that badly, she would've let Mikazuchi-sensei take the reins and use his clout to force me into it.

But she didn't.

And to be honest... I appreciate her a lot for that.

I'm still wary of what she's like, but I'd be in a worse position without her pity.

Even if the circumstances aren't ideal, this was probably my only legitimate chance to weasel my way out of doing this. Otherwise, my summer's going to be an arduous couple of weeks balancing both the tournament and trying to survive...

In the end, only I could fight my own battles. Putting it in the hands of somebody else was never an option.

"...alright. Let's do it."

I took my deck box out from my bag and set it down on the table. Saionji smiled.

"I'm looking forward to this. Give me everything you have, Takanori-san."

"Gladly."

I don't have a choice otherwise if I want my freedom, so I'll just have to go all out.

"Stand up, the! Vanguard!"

"Barit Dracokid!"

"Promising Knight, David!"

Saionji's clan was Narukami, huh? Somehow, seeing it made me feel a little nostalgic.

"Since I was the one who challenged you, I'll let you decide if you want to go first or second."

"...I'll go second."

"Alright, looks like I'm going up first. Stand and draw! I ride Isolation Eradicator, Nusku! Nusku's skill, I scry 5, add Demolition to hand, and discard one. Barit's skill, I draw one! Turn end."

Looks like Saionji was playing a full Eradicator deck. If that's the case... I better start pushing early so I can capitalise on their weak grade 3 turn.

Saionji:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

Yuuto:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride Blue Espada Dragon! Espada's skill, I scry 3, add a Claret to hand, and mill the rest! David's skill, I draw and get a Quick Shield ticket! Ildona's skill, I discard him and reveal the top 10 cards of my deck! Since there's two or more grade 1s among them, I add another Claret to my hand! I call Nemain, Branwen, Amergin, and Llualis! Branwen's skill, I scry 5... and find nothing. Nemain's skill, I rest her to superior call Llualis! Both of my Llualis' skills, since I have 5 grade 1 rear-guards, they both get +15k! (5000 > 20000) (5000 > 20000) Amergin attacks! (8000)"

"Wow, tri-laning me turn one? How tenacious of you. No guard! (Lightning Gun Eradicator, Ouban)"

"This is just the way Claret plays. Boosted by Llualis, Espada attacks! (8000 > 28000)"

"It looks more like to me that you're desperate to seek freedom. No guard!"

"...do you have a problem with that? Drive check! (Belial Owl) Critical trigger! Critical to vanguard, power to Branwen! (8000 > 18000) (28000/1 > 2)"

"Not at all. I just think you'll feel most free on the track. Though, that's merely my opinion. Damage checks! (Supreme Army Eradicator, Zuitan, Blitz Knuckle Dragon) Heal trigger. Power to vanguard and healing a damage! (8000 > 18000)"

"And what makes you think that? I've never driven in my life before... boosted by Llualis, Branwen attacks! (18000 > 38000)"

"You remind me of myself when I was younger, Takanori-san. That's how I know. No guard! (Wyvern Guard, Guld) Draw trigger. Power to vanguard and draw one."

"I... remind you of yourself?"

Saionji nodded.

"I also wanted the freedom of a peaceful school life, never standing out, not having to overexert myself... but the world around me just kept demanding more and more from me. Sounds similar, doesn't it?"

My throat clamped up.

"...turn end."

Saionji:
Hand: 6
Damage: 3
OXO
OOO

Yuuto:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
XXX
XXX

"If that was what you wanted... then why did you work so hard to get where you are today? Wouldn't that just be the exact opposite of your desires?"

"Because when I finally obtained the freedom I had been yearning for, I learned the hard way that it was nothing but a sham."

I raised my eyebrows and stared at her.

"...what?"

"I was living with no purpose except to survive. And if that was the case... then I might as well have been better off dead."

My eyes widened.

"Stand and draw! I ride Eradicator, Spark Raze Dragon! Spark Raze's skill, he gets +5k (9000 > 14000) and I scry 5 to add an Eradicator to hand! I add another Spark Raze and discard one! Then, I call it along with two Demolition Dragons! Boosted by Demolition, my vanguard Spark Raze attacks! (14000 > 22000)"

Demolition in particular was extremely deadly against my deck since it could get rid of grade 1s in drop that I needed for Claret's skill. Conversely, I could also use this to my advantage and accelerate 7 grade 1s in bind so it turns Amergin online...

But since I had no cards in drop currently, this wasn't of major importance to me right now. Instead, there was an overwhelming pressure to guard this attack to prevent both Spark Raze's and Demolition's on hits, since they would both net Saionji a card.

If I took both attacks, I'd essentially be giving her +4, so it was in my best interest to guard both of them. However, my hand wasn't up to par, so at best I could only stop one swing.

While it was more dangerous to take the vanguard attack, since she could randomly rip a critical trigger, guarding it first would just make the second attack even more pressuring, since I would've put a card in drop for Demolition to bind. As such, it was better for me to take the vanguard and guard the rear-guard.

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Lightning Cannon Eradicator, Gongsun)"

"Damage check! (Mage of Entwined Roots, Amergin)"

"Spark Raze's on hit, I soulblast to draw one! Demolition's on hit, I draw one! Boosted by Demolition, my rear-guard Spark Raze attacks! (9000 > 17000)"

"Branwen guards! (18000)"

"That's all from me. Turn end."

Saionji:
Hand: 6
Damage: 3
XXO
XXO

Yuuto:
Hand: 4
Damage: 1
Ritual: 1
XXX
XXX

"Stand and draw! I ride Witch of Reality, Femme! Femme's skill, I soulblast to make you call two grade 0s from drop over your units! But since you don't have any, she gets drive +1 instead! (10000/1d > 2d) Both of my Llualis' skill, they get +15k! (5000 > 20000) Boosted by Llualis, Femme attacks! (10000 > 30000/2d) Illusion Diablo!"

"No guard!"

This was it. My chance to clinch it. If I could get two critical triggers here, the game would be over.

Knowing my past track record, hitting two crits shouldn't be too hard... so if things go right, I can finally put this all behind me.

So, please deck... please, just this one time, don't screw me over. I'm counting on you...

"Twin Drive!! First! (Darkside Trumpeter) Critical trigger! Power to Amergin, critical to vanguard! (8000 > 18000) (30000/1 > 2/2d)"

I just need one more... come on, don't fail me now...!

"Second! (Astral Chain Dragon) Heal trigger... I can't heal, but I give power to Branwen! (8000 > 18000)"

...that was the wrong kind of trigger.

Well, at least I got double triggers... this should make things a lot harder for Saionji to guard at least.

"Damage checks! (Lightning of Hope, Helena, Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon)"

Thankfully, she didn't hit any damage triggers, so the next two attacks I have should be able to devastate her hand in preparation for my next turn.

"Boosted by Nemain, Amergin attacks! (18000 > 23000)"

"Malevolent Djinn guards! (25000)"

"Boosted by Llualis, Branwen attacks! (18000 > 38000)"

"I guard with two Hayate! (40000)"

"Turn end."

Saionji:
Hand: 3
Damage: 5
XXO
XXO

Yuuto:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
Ritual: 2
XXX
XXX

"Stand and draw. Takanori-san, I have a question for you."

"...what is it?"

"Would you like to see my true avatar?"

I was expecting something to do with Project MF, but instead I was caught off guard by her asking about something related to the game.

"I'm sorry, but... why are you asking me that?"

"Because I don't ride it against just anybody, you know. I only ride it against those who I deem worthy to see my full strength."

"...does this mean you've been holding back on me this entire time?"

"Not at all. But at this point of the game, where I get to decide which grade 3 I'm going to ride... is where I choose whether to apply a handicap or not."

I silently gulped.

So, she gives her opponent a fair chance to prove themselves before deciding that she needs to hold back...

I'm guessing that she's been impressed enough by my performance to want to go into her actual game plan, rather than a watered down version of it.

"...I'm flattered that you think so highly of me. At the same time, I don't think I've done enough to earn your respect either."

"Don't sell yourself short. It's been a long time since someone's put me on the back burner like this. In more ways than one, this fight has been really refreshing for me. It reminds me of when I first discovered Vanguard, where, regardless of my opponent or what deck I was up against, I could still feel that smouldering excitement well up in my chest for no good reason except... I was enjoying myself. I've missed such an innocent and naive feeling."

I'm surprised Saionji could be so leisurely in her approach despite what was on the line. Was she not worried that I might order her to do an outrageous request if I won? Or was she so confident in her own victory that she could afford to act so frivolously like this?

"Usually, I'd end up just discarding the card away, but while fighting you... there was a nagging feeling coming from it, telling me to keep it for this moment."

Saionji laughed.

"...does that mean you've essentially been playing with four bricks in your deck this entire time?"

"That's right."

"Now I'm curious..."

I sighed.

Against my better judgment, I wanted to see it.

What sort of terrifying and game ending card would come out of her hand.

"...go on. Show me what it looks like. The avatar of a once-in-a-lifetime opponent."

A part of me pulsed with excitement as Saionji smiled.

"I like your honesty, Takanori-san. Don't say I didn't warn you, though."

Something twisted in my heart.

"How bad could it be?"

There was an electrifying aura gathering around her.

"It's about to get much worse."

Saionji smirked.

Now, let's see.

What was Saionji Yuuri's true avatar?

"The lord of pandemonium unleashes a blessing of upheaval and disorder into this catastrophic world. Now sound the trumpets of the apocalypse, and quiver before the afterlife's final punisher! I ride my avatar— Armour Break Dragon!"

Spark Raze dropped his heavy scythe as a cocoon of light gathered around his body, morphing and enlarging into a wide egg that burst open with a crackling surge of orange lightning.

As it sparked and popped, the lightning gathered into mighty orbs, encasing the fists of the devil horned dragon that had just touch landed onto the battlefield.

Armour Break Dragon.

Just from its presence alone, everything in its surroundings turned immediately into desolate ash. Floating in the air around it was a whirlwind of dust and blackened chunks of debris.

As it floated centimetres above the impact crater it had made, its coiled horns started glowing deep purple. The sun abandoned the sky, turning it pitch black, and the clouds bellowed a violent gust of wind, picking up speed and turning into a heavy storm.

Like an omen of the end times, Saionji's avatar descended.

"Armour Break Dragon, huh...?"

Admittedly, I wasn't expecting to see this.

Since she was playing an Eradicator deck, I thought I'd see Gauntlet Buster come down first, followed by Descendant on her next turn to finish me off.

It was basically the strategy of my old deck, so I was already very familiar of everything Saionji was doing. As such, I had been preparing to counter her accordingly, so seeing Armour Break Dragon here really threw a curveball in my calculations...

I tightened the cards in my hands.

While it's impossible to say for certain... there's a good chance Saionji's already got me.

"Imaginary Gift: Accel II! I draw a card! I call Supreme Army Eradicator, Zuitan! (9000 > 14000) Armour Break's skill! I counterblast 3 to bind your front row rear-guards! Then, for each of your open front row rear-guard circles, my vanguard gets +10k and +2 critical! (12000 > 22000 > 32000/1 > 3 > 5)"

My eyes widened.

Raising its head, Armour Break Dragon's eyes gleamed yellow, before letting rip a cosmic roar that split the earth itself down the middle.

From that deep gulf spread a tremendous earthquake, turning the terrain unstable and jagged, kicking dirt and dust into the air, and hazing the atmosphere until it reached under the feet of Femme, Amergin, and Branwen.

While Femme leapt to the sky, avoiding being swallowed up by the parted ground, Amergin and Branwen were swallowed by the ravenous pit, dragged into the ravine, and crushed under the weight of collapsing rocks.

The backline scrambled, barely avoiding the rippling crevasse as the wobbling shockwave came to a gradual stop.

Everything within the circular radius of Armour Break's vicinity had become trashed into nothing more but rubble and dust clinking against the inward dip of a giant crater as it fell back down to earth like rain after being ejected into the sky.

From out of nowhere, her vanguard shot from 1 critical to 5 critical.

If that single attack hit my vanguard, I would be done for.

I had only two options.

Guard it with my life or reduce its critical with a Heal Guardian.

Luckily for me, I had the latter in my hand.

The only issue was I only had one Astral Chain, meaning I'd be gambling on whether or not she'd get a double critical on her Twin Drive...

But honestly, it was one worth taking, since I had to also factor in the other three attacks she would be mauling me with straight afterwards.

"Zuitan's skill, he gets +5k each time your rear-guard is bound! (14000 > 19000 > 24000) I must say, you look awfully calm for someone facing up against a 5 critical vanguard."

"Well, I will admit, seeing such a massive critical is certainly impressive. However... it's not impossible to stop, so there's no reason for me to panic."

"Ha ha ha, I like your brazen attitude. Let's see if your mind will change after seeing this. I'm going to show you the full extent of the power that will open the circuit that leads to victory!"

Saionji smirked, the ferocity in her eyes telling me she was planning to go all out here.

It was a little unnerving to say the least, especially since I haven't even reached grade 3 yet.

Surely she wasn't truly planning to finish me off here, right...?

"I call Lightning Cannon Eradicator, Gongsun and Lightning Gun Eradicator, Ouban! Ouban's skill, since Gongsun's in the same column as him, I countercharge! Now, Armour Break's skill once more! Since his ACT isn't once per turn, I counterblast 3 to give him another 10k and 2 critical for each of your open front row rear-guard circles! (32000 > 42000 > 52000/5 > 7 > 9)"

...huh?

What the hell...

Where did this come from?

I took a step back as I could feel the spirit of the grim reaper hang over my head.

It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before... except once.

Back during <that>... when I was up against him.

That was the only time this distinctive chill had run down my spine.

So for Saionji to replicate it with mere cards...

...I can now see exactly how Kishou took after her.

I gritted the back of my teeth.

Smoke exited Armour Break's mouth, it's eyes still hungry for more as the orbs around its fists grew exponentially in size.

The backline cowered as the only unit left who could stand up against him was Femme, faintly supported by the blowing winds of Claret Sword's promised arrival.

But not even I could guarantee my avatar would even have the chance to make his appearance on this bloodstained stage that Saionji had sculpted out.

The aura of death I sensed from her earlier began playing an insidious melody in the air.

It was the sound of pan flutes urging me to follow the direction her outstretched hand was in.

It was dragging me towards the river of divide that separated me from the end horizon.

It was leading me towards the endless abyss she had prepared for me.

On the other side of that boundary line.

The afterlife.

A converging black hole.

Her smile was haunting.

So, this was her speciality...

Breaking someone's spirit.

Until they too, are ready to accept anything.

With her empty hands, there was only one right answer she offered.

And if you took her up on it...

...she would guide you to a place you can never return from.

The shadow swayed in my mind.

All of the cards in my hand were useless here.

Every last bit of my defence had been completely and utterly shattered.

Not even a single Heal Guardian would save me from this now.

In order to live, I had no choice but to guard this.

If only I was using Perfect Guards... then I could have nullified this.

I started counting the shield value in my hand, mulling over what I could and couldn't afford to get rid of.

...no.

That was the wrong approach.

If I wanted to live, I couldn't afford to be picky or take any risks.

None of this would be enough.

...I had no choice but to use everything I had at my disposal to survive the terrifying blow that Saionji was about to land against me.

It was all or nothing.

Otherwise, I would become yet another corpse in the pile of her abyss.

"Are you feeling it now, Takanori-san?"

"...yeah, I am. Saionji-san."

She smirked, stretching her arm out towards me.

"Good. Boosted by Demolition, Armour Break attacks! (52000 > 60000/9)"

Like instant teleportation, Armour Break blinked and appeared right in front of Femme, his right arm pulled all the way back.

Just as I was about to put down my guardians, Saionji opened her mouth again.

That was when an abrupt realisation dawned over me.

"Armour Break's skill... Limit Break!"

An orange vanguard circle exploded and span over Armour Break Dragon's head.

"Since I have four or more cards in my damage zone... until end of battle, Armour Break gets +10k and you can't call sentinels from hand to guardian circle! (60000 > 70000/9)"

Because of all my early aggression, I had unintentionally triggered Armour Break's second skill.

...in other words, my deck's rush play style was inadvertently the reason for my downfall.

No wonder Saionji was more than happy to take all that damage...

Not only did she use it to activate Armour Break's skill twice, but she also needed it to proc her Limit Break too.

She took my tenacity to win as fast possible and turned it on me, making it the key necessary for her to crush me.

If I had slowed down even just a little bit, I could have avoided this situation entirely.

Now even my Belial Owl was shut off, putting me down by a huge 30k shield.

It was already a herculean task trying to guard it, but there was no need to make it harder...

This was complete overkill.

Looks like I have no other choice...

...I have to try at least.

"Heal Guardian, Astral Chain Dragon! (10000 > 25000) I give my vanguard +10k! (25000 > 35000) I guard with Darkside Trumpeter! (35000 > 50000) Blue Espada! (50000 > 60000) Lluails! (60000 > 70000)"

"Oh? How impressive, you managed to match my attack's power. Now you just need another 5k shield for a one to pass. Do you have that much, Takanori-san?"

My heart was pounding.

I needed one card.

Any card would do.

As long as it had shield and wasn't a sentinel...

There was a chance I could survive this.

I looked over at the last two cards in my hand.

"And...!"

As I called out, the adrenaline coursing through my body vanished.

All I had left was Belial Owl, who I couldn't guard with...

...and Claret Sword, a card with no shield whatsoever.

My arms flopped to my sides as the ugly conclusion that it was impossible for me to stop this attack came over my head.

If only either of these grade 1s were a trigger... then there would've been a chance.

"...I can't guard it after all."

After reluctantly announcing that, I picked up my cards from the guardian circle, realising it would be a waste to use them here.

"How unfortunate. I was looking forward to seeing someone stop my ultimate attack for once."

It was a bitter feeling, but I hadn't given up just yet.

There was still one way out for me.

All it required was dealing with lady luck...

...and betting it all, once more.

"Instead, I'll Heal Guardian with Astral Chain and use his skill to reduce your vanguard's critical by 2! (25000)"

"Go ahead. You're still gambling with your life if you don't guard with anything else. (70000/9 > 7)"

By doing this, now all I needed was just triple back to back Heal triggers on my sixth damage to survive.

While the odds were still against me, it's not impossible unlike the previous requirements, which was needing four back to back Heal triggers on sixth damage.

After all, I already had one of my Heals in hand, so doing this was the only way I could barely avoid certain death.

Of course, this plan would fall through entirely if Saionji checked a single critical, so I was also hedging myself against that.

But after Ryouta and I traded back to back triple miracle heals in our game, I know better than anyone else that even the most unrealistic outcomes have the ability to become reality.

As such, I'll put my faith in my deck and believe.

I haven't been sucked in by Saionji just yet.

"That's all."

Although...

...I have a bad premonition about this.

I held my breath as Saionji began her Twin Drive.

"Alright. Twin Drive!! (Isolation Eradicator, Nusku, Eradicator, Spark Raze Dragon) No triggers!"

To my surprise, she got nothing.

A light appeared within the abyss.

...it's all up to me now to change my fate.

"Damage checks... (Mage of Entwined Roots, Amergin, Perennial Knight, Rimmon, Knight of Foolhardiness, Lughaid)"

Three checks down, four more to go.

"(Grim Revenger) Critical trigger, all to vanguard. (10000 > 20000)"

I was now at five damage.

The next three checks would determine everything.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Reaching out towards my deck, I grabbed the top card and flipped it over.

I opened my eyes—

"(Claret Sword Dragon)"

—and came face to face with Armour Break Dragon.

"...it's my loss."

The Claret Sword that was in my hands didn't even have the chance to be materialised.

"Armour Break, take him to the afterlife."

It was at that moment, I realised.

Saionji Yuuri...

...is a monster.

"Sangria Demolition!"

...so, this is what it's like to be on the receiving end, huh?

With a single punch, Armour Break Dragon tore through me.