I rubbed my hands anxiously as I sat in the infirmary, waiting for Kurosaki to wake up as she laid on one of the beds.

"Mmf..."

Escaping her lips was a weak noise, followed by the gentle fluttering of her eyes.

"Kurosaki-san!"

Seeing this, I called out her name, which caused her to tilt her head in the direction of where my voice came from.

"...Takamine-san?"

She mumbled, rubbing her weary eyes to wake up properly. Looking at her surroundings, Kurosaki seemed to understand the situation she was in.

"S-so it happened again, huh...?"

A bitter smile appeared on her face as she wiped the bottom of her lip with the back of her sleeve.

"Don't worry, the nurse cleaned off the vomit."

"Ah... I need to thank them..."

As Kurosaki tried to get out of bed, I stopped her.

"It's fine, you can do it when you're feeling better. For now, just rest. Your face is still ghostly pale."

Kurosaki winced, before laying down in defeat.

"...I-I did feel a bit dizzy for a moment there."

"Here, drink this. Your mouth's probably dry from how much you threw up."

I handed her a warm glass of water, which Kurosaki took small sips off.

"T-thank you..."

As she passed me back the glass, Kurosaki blushed, avoiding eye contact with me. Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed as well.

"Ah, nah, you don't have to thank me at all. It's the least I could do since you threw up and everything..."

For some reason, Kurosaki frowned.

"Kurosaki-san...? What's wrong?"

"S-sorry... I guess I'm still feeling ill..."

"Oh, we probably shouldn't be chatting then. I'll leave you to rest then."

As I was about to get up, Kurosaki reached out and grabbed my wrist.

"P... p-please... stay..."

As she mumbled that line desperately, my heart jumped.

"I... don't want to be... alone..."

She whispered that earnest request so quietly, I nearly missed it.

"Then... I'll stay right here until you feel better."

I sat back down, watching over Kurosaki as she rested.

"T-thank you... it means a lot to me."

She forced a smile. I scratched the back of my head.

"Hey, Kurosaki-san... out of curiosity, is your motion sickness the reason why you're Category Zero?"

"I-I wouldn't say it's the only reason, but... it's part of it, yes..."

"There are other reasons?"

Kurosaki flinched and looked away.

"It's... complicated."

There was a pain in her eyes that I could tell she didn't want to express. Despite wanting to know more about her situation, I let bygones be bygones, since prying into her life like this when she's vulnerable would be the same as taking advantage of her.

"Fair enough. Do you play Vanguard a lot outside of the digital space?"

Kurosaki nodded.

"Yeah... I basically played it everyday with mommy."

"Eh, seriously? Same here! She's crazy strong though, so I lose almost every game, ha ha..."

As much as I wanted to tell Kurosaki my mommy was Saionji Yuuri, the pioneer of Riding Duels, it would be way too troublesome for me if everyone found out someone that famous was my mother.

It's half the reason I took my father's last name, rather than her last name, in public registers. If I was called Saionji Minoru, people would be able to quickly catch on the connection between me and her.

"Me too... although, it makes me wanna get better so that I can be as good as her one day."

"I'm sure you'll get there one day! For me, I don't have much of a choice... mommy's obsessed with Vanguard, so it's a given that I have to be good at it. Not that I'm complaining though, I love the game as much as her. It's just... she's on a whole different level. No, a whole different world."

"Mm... my mommy isn't really like that, but I get what you mean... since I feel similarly about daddy."

"Your dad? What do you mean?"

"W-well... originally, I wanted to become a professional racer..."

"A racer? Huh?!"

Considering how frail her body was, wanting to compete in a dangerous sport like that was one of the last things I expected to hear from her mouth. Kurosaki looked away and nodded slightly, her cheeks pink.

"Y-yeah... I-I wanted to become one because of daddy... h-he's one of..."

Kurosaki shook her head, looking straight at me.

"Daddy is the best racer in the world! S-so, whenever he raced on TV, me and mommy would watch him together all the time... and that made me want to become just like him."

I had no clue Kurosaki was such a daddy's girl.

"B-but... my dreams to become a pro racer was crushed from when I was young..."

When she said that, my eyes widened. Finally, all the information in my head aligned and clicked into place.

"Your motion sickness..."

Kurosaki nodded, lowering her head to let her bangs cover her eyes.

"Whenever mommy or daddy drove me around... e-even if they were going really slowly... without fail, I would always throw up."

What a cruel fate... despite her father being a master at driving, Kurosaki was born with a curse that would prevent her from ever driving. I squeezed my fists.

"I-it was so embarrassing and defeating for me... we tried all sorts of medication to try and cure it, but none of it worked. I still threw up and made a giant mess that mommy and daddy had to clean up... eventually, we found out that the only way for me to control my nausea was by closing my eyes and blocking out my surroundings to prevent any stimulation to my brain."

"That sounds rough... well, at least you can still use transport as long as someone else does it for you."

I tried looking at things on the bright side, but Kurosaki didn't seem too amused by it.

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have made that comment... considering how troublesome it must've been for Kurosaki to be unable to operate anything by herself, she must've found it hard to see any positives in this situation.

This must've extended to cardfighting in the digital space too, since she wouldn't be able to operate the cards if her eyes are closed. And it's not like she could get any outside assistance either, since it be considered cheating under MGP rules.

Kurosaki really was stuck between a rock and a hard place... it was simply impossible to compete and improve her ranking without pushing her body to dangerous limits.

When I thought about it that way, I started realising how crappy this system was for people with disabled bodies.

"I suppose so... but I felt bad relying on mommy and daddy all the time."

"How come? You need the assistance, don't you?"

"I-I do, but... I feel like a heavy burden on them. Even though they keep telling me it was okay and reassured me about it, I've always carried around this awful guilt deep inside of me... knowing that it's my fault that a large portion of their life is dedicated to taking care of me because of how my body is... and I can't ever erase this feeling from my chest no matter how hard I try..."

Kurosaki covered her eyes with her hand, turning away from me.

"...especially because I always told daddy when I was younger I'd become just like him when I grow up. When I told him that, mommy said it was the few times she saw him genuinely smile... so it feels like I failed both of them, especially him, because of this defect of mine."

She sniffled, biting her bottom lip.

"...I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, Kurosaki-san."

Her nausea was that bad, huh...? If anything, it made it more impressive that she managed to hold out that long while cardfighting.

"N-no, it's okay... s-sorry for dumping all of this on you suddenly..."

"I don't mind. It feels like I understood you a little better now. Still, why did you agree to join our competition when you knew you would probably vomit from it?"

"A-ah... um... honestly, I should've said something beforehand... or tried to avoid playing altogether... but I was so excited to finally be able to get involved with everyone else, I..."

I squeezed my fists. Hearing this, it just made me pissed off at the other four even more.

All Kurosaki wanted was to be included in the group, becoming so desperate that she felt she had no other choice but to put her own health on the line for it...

What the hell...

"Nah. It's not worth trying to become friends with those guys. Those assholes hate you for a superficial reason, so they sure as hell aren't worth any of your time or your attention. Screw 'em!"

Kurosaki raised her head, her eyes widened as moist tears filled the corners of her eyes.

"T-Takamine-san..."

"...I'm just saying it how it is. I don't claim to be any saint either, though. I also messed up by not talking to you when I first entered class... if you hate me, I perfectly understand."

Kurosaki wiped her eyes and shook her head.

"N-no... Takamine-san is... such a kind person."

Hearing that, I was taken back a little.

"I couldn't ever hate a good person... that would be wrong of me."

"Kurosaki-san..."

Crap, what's this feeling in my chest? Kurosaki's being so sweet and earnest, it's making me want to protect her even more...

"Thank you for trusting in me... I promise I won't let you down!"

Kurosaki smiled, making me blush. Ah, damn it, she can see it too...

"Um... what about you, Takamine-san? W-what did you want to be when you grew up?"

"Oh, that's easy. I want to be the world's best Riding Duelist!"

The only thing I'm forced to omit is that I have no other choice, since mommy is third best in the world, so I've got to follow in her footsteps... and one day, eventually surpass her to become number one.

"W-wow! T-that's amazing... so, settling for pro level isn't good enough for Takamine-san?"

"Yup. If I'm going up, I'm going all the way to the top!"

I pointed to the ceiling, grinning widely.

"A-ambitious... it's totally the opposite to me."

"Ha ha, I'm glad you think so. I'm working my way up there, slowly but surely."

I was currently ranked 24th in Japan for under-18s. Though, the pool is much smaller than in the adult world, so my ranking would probably drop considerably once I move up there. For now though, I'm proud of how far I've come.

"What about you Kurosaki-san?"

"M-me? A-ah, umm... to be honest... I don't really have anything I want to be..."

"So you're still undecided, huh?"

"M-more or less... but..."

As she spoke, Kurosaki's face turned dark red.

"I... I have a dream for the future..."

"A dream?"

I tilted my head. Kurosaki looked away, burying her face into her hands.

"I-I... I... I want to become a beautiful bride... a-and get married... to the woman of my dreams."

I blinked, freezing up.

Did... I hear that right?

My face became as cold as stone.

Did... Kurosaki say she wanted to get married to a woman?

But, I...

I covered my mouth, realising whatever feelings I had earlier were completely and utterly one-sided.

...I had nearly fallen in love with a lesbian.

"I-I'm sorry, that was really weird of me to say, p-please pretend you didn't hear any of that!"

Seeing my lack of reaction to information that was close to Kurosaki's heart, she panicked and tossed the blanket over her head, burrowing herself into the sheets of the bed.

"Ah, no! it's not like that, I promise! I— I, just... uh..."

I gritted my teeth, realising saying anything else would probably dig myself in a hole I'd never recover from. I reached out and slowly pulled the blanket off Kurosaki's head.

"Kurosaki-san... likes girls?"

Covering her head with her hands, she nodded.

"D-does... Takamine-san... have a problem with it...?"

I shook my head.

"Of course not. If anything... I'm seriously disappointed."

"E-eh? D-disappointed?"

It seems Kurosaki didn't understand what I was trying to imply, so I spelled it out for her.

"I was thinking of asking you out on a date one of these days."

"E... e-eh?!"

Kurosaki covered her mouth as both our faces turned dark red as soon as I admitted that.

While my heart was broken, at least I didn't actually develop any serious feelings for her... better to find out sooner, rather than later.

"I-I'm sorry Takamine-san... I really am sorry... ah, if it makes you feel any better... i-if you were a girl, I would've accepted..."

"Ha ha, it's okay, Kurosaki-san. It doesn't matter to me that much, promise."

What the hell do you mean if I was a girl you would've accepted?! Does this mean I had a chance after all?! Argh, come on...!

"B-but still..."

Damn... she really was as pure and earnest as they could get. Even something this small she felt responsible over... I guess I better say something to ease her feelings a little.

"Alright, if you still feel bad over it, then you can make it up for me by having lunch together. How does that sound?"

"A-are you sure? That you want to eat with me...?"

"Why not? I think we're friends."

When I said that, Kurosaki's face turned dark red again. Well, add easily embarrassed to the list too...

"T-then... I would love to."

"It's a deal!"

I grinned and stuck out a thumbs up. Kurosaki giggled, slowly getting out of bed.

"I... I'm starting to feel better now... s-shall we head back, Takamine-san?"

"Yeah, sure. Before we do though, mind if I check out the other classes in our year?"

"A-ah... if you want, that's fine."

"Awesome, let's go!"

Together, me and Kurosaki left the infirmary, thanking the nurses on our way out as we headed to the 1st Year classrooms. The first one we decided to visit was A Class since it was the first one we saw upon entering the floor.

"From the outside it looks like any other classroom, but once you peer inside... this place is massive!"

It was at least double the size of Q Class, and our classroom was bigger than average too... was it really that necessary for a classroom to be that spacious?

"O-oh... um, Takamine-san..."

Kurosaki tugged on my sleeve, pointing at the back of the class. As I looked over, turning my attention away from the front of the class that looked like any regular classroom, I was shocked to see that everybody from A Class was standing there.

"What the hell is going on there..."

I leaned in, peering through the window to try and get a better look. Aside from it being sparsely decorated, I noticed two things almost immediately.

The first was that everyone was wearing their Desire Specs, making me understand what the purpose of the back section was for. It was a leisure space for the A Class students to dive into the digital space and blow off steam between classes.

The second was a Q Class student who stood in the middle of the crowd of people, smiling cruelly as the person in front of them fell to their knees with a defeated expression.

I squeezed my fists.

"Kurosaki-san... you can see it too, right?"

She nodded.

"...can I have permission to make a mess out of things?"

"P-permission...? Why would Takamine-san need my permission?"

"Because... I know you won't be able to join in if I do this."

I put on my Desire Specs, vision augmenting to see what everyone else could see, and turned to Kurosaki.

"A-ah, um, don't worry about me! I-I'm used to it by now, so... it's okay. Please... go ahead without me and do what you think is right."

Hearing those sad words, I looked away, gritting my teeth.

Ah... I've never realised just how intertwined our lives are now with the digital space.

How many times has Kurosaki gone through this? Hanging back on purpose while everyone else moves forward without her?

If I was her, I'd feel so bitter and lonely about it all... I would've cursed my body again and again for this weakness, making me unable to fit in with everyone else.

And yet... despite all that, she looks so content with just sitting out once again... it's like she was ready for this outcome from the start.

"Are you sure...? I don't want to leave you behind, Kurosaki-san."

Hearing that, she raised her head a little, narrowing her eyes.

"Takamine-san... I appreciate your consideration for me, I really do... b-but... at the same time, I... I-I don't want to hold you back either!"

My eyes widened.

Right... Kurosaki doesn't want her condition to feel like a burden to other people.

Even though I was trying to be considerate, I suppose the more considerate thing to do would be... even if my body is screaming at me not to do it...

"...I understand."

...saying those words, even though it made feel bad for for being no better than everyone else that Kurosaki knew.

However, I don't have to end things here.

I want to convey to her my guilty feelings too.

"Then, at the very least... allow me to apologise for being so selfish."

I took a deep breath and shouted out, bowing in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Kurosaki-san!"

"E-eh?! A-ah, n-no, um, i-it's alright, Takamine-san! Umm, p-please, raise your head, y-you don't have to apologise f-for it at all!"

"I'll feel bad if I don't otherwise..."

For some reason, Kurosaki giggled.

"You're the first person to ever say such silly things to me... b-but fine, i-if it will make you feel better... I accept it."

I raised my head, nodding.

"Thanks. I know it probably won't mean anything if you can't see it, but... you can feel free to join me if you want. If you don't... then I'll see you later in class."

"I-I think the answer's obvious..."

As I entered A Class, Kurosaki followed me.

"I would rather be with Takamine-san, than everyone else in Q Class."

Then, to my surprise, she put on her Desire Specs.

"Kurosaki-san, what are you—"

"I-if... I throw up again... you'll be there to take me to the infirmary, right? S-so... I wanna try again... and conquer this weakness of mine."

I raised my eyebrows before smiling.

"Damn... it's awesome that you haven't given up so easily yet, Kurosaki-san."

"Ha ha, I don't think it's that impressive... b-besides, getting over my nausea was the main reason why I came to this school."

Kurosaki closed one of her eyes, adjusting her vision so she would feel less likely to throw up.

"Huh? Does GEN have some kind of secret, miracle medicine or something that could help you?"

Kurosaki shook her head.

"I came here because... I wanted independence. That way, I'd stop relying on other people... and be forced to do things by myself."

"Doesn't that sound dangerous...?"

"It is... mommy was especially against the idea, since she knows firsthand just how bad it can become for me... but I felt like this was necessary. Otherwise... I'd never find the courage to start overcoming my issues. And I... I desperately want to beat it. I want to stop this cruel nausea, so that one day... I can step into that digital world... make new friends... play the game I love with others... and finally, after all these years... be able to fit in with everyone else."

I sighed, scratching the back of my head.

"So... it's like that, huh?"

Kurosaki nodded, avoiding my gaze.

"Alright. I've decided then. Kurosaki-san, I'm going to help you."

"E-eh? B-but, I just said—"

"Being independent doesn't mean you have to be alone. Besides, I'm technically doing it already, aren't I? You're able to try again because I'm here to save you in case something goes wrong."

Kurosaki started blushing.

"T-Takamine-san... thank you... for everything... you've been nothing but kind to me since we first got here."

"Ah? It's nothing. Don't thank me for basic human decency."

"S-sorry..."

"And don't apologise for that either! If you say it too much, it'll lose all meaning when you say it, you know?"

Kurosaki buried her dark red face into her hands. I think she was really embarrassed and wanted to apologise again out of instinct, but because of what I just said, held back.

"This took awhile to get here..."

I knew this class was massive, but I didn't expect wading to the back to take so long. I mean, me and Kurosaki had a whole ass conversation while we were at it, like damn.

"Coming through, coming through."

I grabbed Kurosaki by the wrist and pulled us through the crowd, pushing past the A Class students to reach the centre of all the action, and where our fellow Q Class classmate stood.

"Who's this guy?"

"Why's he dragging that chick around?"

"Miss, you alright?"

"You think they're from that special class?"

"I think they're Q Class students like—"

"Kuyou!"

After shoving my way through, I stood across from Kuyou who had just finished up a cardfight.

"Minoru-san, huh?"

Kuyou thin smile disappeared as he saw Kurosaki squeeze through after me, hiding behind my back as she saw who was standing across from us.

"K-Kuyou-san..."

As I let go of Kurosaki's wrist, she held onto the back of my shirt. Through her fingertips, I could tell she was shaking.

"And the Category Zero too? You recovered since from throwing up on the floor?"

"Category... Zero?"

"I thought the lowest Category was Two..."

"Ew, she vomited?"

"Yikes, they've got a real loser in that class."

"You've got to be a special kind of dumbass to reach Zero."

Immediately, Kuyou embarrassed Kurosaki in front of the crowd, making her shrink as the low drum of the A Class student's insulting whispers surrounded her.

"Kuyou, what the hell was that for?! That was completely unnecessary!"

"I'm just stating the facts. Why are you getting so quick to anger?"

"Because you're making a fool out of my friend, obviously!"

"She made a fool out of herself by letting herself lose so much. If she doesn't like being Category Zero, tell her to win some games or build a solid deck."

I gritted my teeth. How has this guy not realised she's Category Zero precisely because her nausea is preventing her from playing sanctioned games? It should be obvious by now after what we saw earlier.

"Why are you in A Class anyways? What happened to our competition from earlier?"

"I could ask the same thing to you. As for that, we decided to scrap it since Kurosaki-san passed out. So, we all went our separate ways to do our own thing. That's when I came here to check out what the other classes in our year was like."

"Huh... funny enough, that's the same reason why I'm here."

"Oh? Then I'll save you some time and tell you they're not very good."

"What do you mean?"

Kuyou pointed at the man slumped at my feet. My eyes widened and I stepped back, taking in the sight I hadn't even realised was right in front of me.

"Hey... hey, are you alright?!"

Kneeling down, I helped pick the man up, offering my body as a crutch for him. As he leaned against me, a soft groan escaped his lips, meaning that, thankfully, he was still conscious.

"Ugh... thank you..."

"Don't sweat it. Can you tell me what that guy did to you?"

As I pointed at Kuyou, the A Class student in my arms froze up.

"...d-don't..."

"Don't...?"

"....don't... make me... return... to that place..."

As he muttered, he lowered his head with each breathless word, his face hanging so low that his Desire Specs fell and hit the floor.

"What...?"

The man went silent, before scooping the Desire Specs off the floor and disappearing into the crowd.

"Ku ku ku... and you call yourself Category Ace. This is exactly the sort of behaviour I'd expect from a loser, running away with their tail tucked between their legs!"

A thin smile appeared on Kuyou's face as he laughed at them.

"That guy... was a Category Ace?!"

I can't believe it... what could Kuyou have done to make him act that way...?

"That's right. One of the three in A Class. While the Category Zero was passed out, I spent my free time going around fighting the strongest members in each classroom. And, well, needless to say..."

Kuyou made a crushing motion with his right hand.

"None of them were a match for me."

A shiver ran down my spine.

"So... you beat every single one of them?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"...and did you beat them to the point they ended up like that guy?"

"Some of them fell that far. Some of them took it on the chin. I don't control how losers act. If they want to cry and whine instead of trying to improve and become better, that's on them. I hold no responsibility for their reactions after the fight, only mine."

"Kuyou... do you know how you would react after losing?"

"I don't, since I'm not a loser. But if I were to guess... I think I'd be a graceful one."

"Graceful, huh? That doesn't sound like your personality type at all."

"I say that because the only way I'd conceivably lose is to an overTrigger. And if that happens, then it can't be helped."

"Then I guess today we'll both learn something new."

I flicked my ID medal into the sky like a coin and caught it.

"So you still want to finish off our competition from earlier, huh?"

Kuyou took out his ID medal and threw it at me like a pellet.

"Damn right I do, you sadistic bastard!"

In response, I threw my ID medal at him, and our two medals clashed.

Despite that, even when sparks were flying between them, our Desire Specs registered each other as opponents.

A blue card each descended in front of us, with me grasping at mine and Kuyou letting his float into his palm.

A burst of special effects ignited the card, realising our decks.

A red crest of nine fox tails appeared over Kuyou's deck, while a sangria crest of bird wings appeared over my deck.

"Stand up, the! Vanguard!"

"Nine-tailed Fox Spirit, Tamayura!"

"Absolute Zero, Rix!"

So Kuyou plays Dragon Empire... a fitting nation for someone as obsessed with power as him.

"Lyrical Monasterio? I would've never thought you were the type to like idols."

"I'm not much of a fan of idols as I am of winning with these wings of mine."

"Wings, huh... let's see how long you can last in the sky before I burn them away with my sunlight."

"What do you think I am, Icarus?"

"You're exactly the type of idiot who would fly too close to the sun, so you would qualify."

"Then I'll just block it out and continue soaring upwards!"

"I'll burn you before you even have the chance."

"Kuyou..."

"Minoru-san."

At the same time, we both shouted at each other.

"I'm going to beat you!"

"It's my turn. Stand and draw! I discard to ride In the Calm Sunlight, Tamayura! I set the Energy Generator. Tamayura's skill! Since she was ridden from Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit, I scry 7 and add a Ririmi, Rarami, or Fox Arts to my hand. I add Twin Direful Dolls, Rarami! Then, I'll play the order, Broken Toys! Since I have a Tamayura vanguard, I scry 7, add a Ririmi and Rarami each from among them or my drop, then put them into my soul. From my drop, I put G1 Rarami and from my top 7 I put G1 Ririmi. Now that I have a Ririmi and Rarami each in my soul, I draw a card! Turn end."

Kuyou:
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
Energy: 0
OXO
OOO

Minoru:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
Energy: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride Absolute Zero, Crau! I get an Energy Generator and energycharge 3! Crau's skill, since she was ridden from Rix, I scry 7 to add an Absolute Zero or Judge Maiden to my hand! I add Peaceful Sky Judge Maiden, Alha! I draw from Rix, and since I discarded Clarie, she goes to soul! Crau attacks! (8000)"

"Zonne guards. (23000) overTrigger to pass."

"Drive check! (Fluffy Lady, Godelieve) Critical trigger! Damn it, it does nothing though..."

"You set yourself up there I'm afraid."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"You wasted that crit by not calling Clarie behind vanguard to ensure the attack gets through. Instead, you discarded her for Ride Deck cost."

"I did that on purpose! It's obvious I wanted to use her effect to build soul and maximise my discards!"

"Gathering resources this early on won't help you. The smarter play would've been call her to to gain more tempo."

"That's just what you think. Besides, this is my deck, so I'm certain I know how to play it better than you do. Turn end!"

"Hey, was just trying to be nice and give you some advice. If you don't want to take it, that's on you."

"Yeah, and I didn't ask for it in the first place!"

Seriously, who does this guy think he is, getting off on trying to tell me what to do? Even if I discarded something else to ride Crau, it would've been more optimal to keep Clarie in hand, since she also doubles as a 10k shield.

"Ku ku... with that sort of brash attitude, it makes me wonder how you even reached Category King."

Kuyou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
Energy: 0
OXO
OOO

Minoru:
Hand: 8
Damage: 0
Energy: 3
OXO
OOO

"Stand, draw, and charge. I discard to ride Festival of Burning, Tamayura! Tamayura's skill, since she was ridden from In the Calm Sunlight, I add the Rarami I discarded back to my hand. I play Broken Toys! I scry 7, put a G2 Ririmi and a G1 Rarami to soul, then draw a card."

When Kuyou saw what he drew into, he grinned.

"Nice. I call what I just got, Stealth Fiend, Kawasohime! Kawasohime's skill, I energyblast 3 to scry 7 and call a grade 2 or less Glitter from among them. Come on out, Twin Direful Dolls, Ririmi! Then, I call Twin Direful Dolls, Rarami and It's Show Time! Ririmi! Rarami's skill, since I have a Ririmi rear-guard, I soulblast 2 to draw a card!"

"There sure is a helluva lot of Dark States looking cards here... you sure you're running a Dragon Empire deck, Kuyou?"

"Ku ku, just like that Category Zero over there, my deck is a Glitter deck that enjoys using dual nation cards. What you should be paying attention to is how I'm going to build tempo off this board I just called. You might just learn a thing or two, Minoru-san. Starting off, Ririmi attacks! (10000)"

"Yeah... rushing from the get go isn't exactly how my deck plays, so I'm gonna pass on that. Valefr guards! (13000)"

"You're going to fall behind fast if you can't keep up then. Boosted by Kawasohime, Tamayura attacks! (10000 > 18000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Stealth Fiend, Kawasohime)"

"Damage check! (Absolute Zero, Casua)"

"Boosted by Ririmi, Rarami attacks! (10000 > 18000)"

"Godelieve guards! (23000)"

"Ririmi's skill, at the end of the battle she boosted, I put all the units in her column into soul. Turn end!"

Kuyou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
Energy: 0
XXO
OXO

Minoru:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
Energy: 3
OXO
OOO

"Stand, draw, and charge! I ride Absolute Zero, Casua! Alha's skill, since I discarded her, I energycharge 1! Then, I use the Energy Generator's skill! I energyblast 7 to draw a card!"

"Popping the draw that early, huh? Ku ku... thank you for the free information."

"I mean yeah, if I'm doing that, it's obvious I've got another Alha in my hand to get back to 4 energy. So what?"

"It just means you can't guard with her next turn unless absolutely necessary, so you're basically playing with one less card. It's just going to make things easier for me on my turn."

"We'll see about that... I call Light Spinning Around the Flower Garden Judge Maiden, Lurinia and Conscientious Meeting, Felina! Felina's skill, I soulblast to set Only My Stage! directly from my deck! Lurinia's skill, I counterblast to scry 5 and add an Absolute Zero or Judge Maiden to hand! I add Sagitta!"

"Securing Persona Ride this early on too... make that two dead cards you can't guard with next turn. Are you sure you're thinking through this properly, Minoru-san?"

"Stop worrying so much about me and start worrying about yourself. Beginning of battle, Only My Stage! activates! I give one of my back row rear-guards Boost until end of turn! I choose Felina, who in turn gets +5k because she was chosen by Only My Stage! (10000 > 15000) Now, Casua attacks! (10000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Secret Prayer Judge Maiden, Clarie)"

"Damage check! (Twin Buckler Dragon)"

"Alright, that's one PG out! Boosted by Felina, Lurinia attacks! (10000 > 25000)"

"No guard! (Blaze War Monk, Sougyou) Critical, all to vanguard. (10000 > 20000)"

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

Kuyou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 2
Energy: 0
XXO
OXO

Minoru:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
Energy: 0
XXO
XOO

"Stand, draw, and charge. I discard to ride Deepening Night, Tamayura! Let's not waste any time and get to the main star of the show. Kawasohime's skill! Since I have a grade 3 Tamayura vanguard, I put her into soul to superior ride—!"

"Here it comes..."

From Kuyou's right hand, a cluster of pale blue verging on green fireballs ignited in his palm, before shooting out and surrounding his body like a circle of wisps.

"The blue moon above shall burn up under the ascending sunlight that signals a new dawn. The mystic nine tails that stock hidden power, unleash everything stored in a blaze of purification! I ride my avatar, Will-o-wisp Daybreak, Tamayura!"

I flinched as Kuyou raised his hand into the air, causing the digital space to replicate the blinding golden light at sunrise, overtaking everything and plunging us into an almost dreamlike battlefield.

"Tamayura's skill! While Kawasohime prevents me from Persona Riding, I still get to add any order card without Regalis Piece from deck to hand. I add Fleeting Shine That Lights Life! Then, I play Broken Dolls! I scry 7, put G2 Rarami and G2 Ririmi into soul, then draw! I call Kawasohime, and use her skill! Energyblast 3, scry 7, and call Twin Direful Dolls, Rarami! Rarami's skill, since I have Ririmi, I soulblast 2 to draw!"

With how much deck thinning he's been doing over the course of this game, my main concern right now is what Kuyou might end up drive checking. This sort of compression is crazy, the fact he hasn't whiffed a single effect once is almost impressive.

"It's time to exorcise the darkness. Rarami attacks! (10000)"

"If I get a single damage trigger, it's enough to shut your turn down. No guard! (Absolute Zero, Crau) Damn it, nothing..."

"Even if you get one, it'll only soften the blow ever so slightly for you. Ririmi attacks! (10000)"

"Change of plans... Lurinia intercepts! (15000)"

"Boosted by Kawasohime, Tamayura attacks! (13000 > 21000) Tamayura's skill! I bind Deepening Night, Tamayura from my soul to superior call a Ririmi and Rarami from my soul! I call a Twin Direful Doll, Ririmi and Rarami each, and they get +5k! (10000 > 15000) (10000 > 15000) Then, with Rarami's skill, I soulblast 2 to draw! Then, since I soulblasted It's Show Time! Ririmi and Ladies and Gentlemen! Rarami, I counterblast one for each to call them behind their respective partners!"

"So that's why you took two damage last turn... you wanted to pull off this combo."

"Exactly. Thanks for feeding into my plays, Minoru-san."

"What a pain in the ass... no guard!"

"It seems what I said about you having two unusable cards in your hand was true. I'm going to put you to five this turn and finish you off on my next turn. Or... ku ku... I can end things now with a critical or two. That sounds fun, doesn't it?"

"You know, the hubris of man leading to their downfall is something to be studied. Mind being a test subject for it, Kuyou?"

"Ku ku, I'm not even feeling cocky in the slightest. Rest assured, I've calculated everything in advance. That's the sort of difference that makes me an Ace, and you a King. Twin Drive!! (It's Show Time! Ririmi, Blaze Maiden, Parama) Front trigger! +10k to my front row! (15000 > 25000) (21000 > 31000) (15000 > 25000)"

"That's annoying... but I'll take the lesser of two evils. Damage check! (Soapy Splash, Riviena)"

"Oh hey, a PG. Boosted by Rarami, Ririmi attacks! (25000 > 33000)"

"No guard! (Sigh of Relief, Fabiola) Heal trigger! Power to vanguard and recovering a damage! (10000 > 20000)"

"Rarami's skill, I put all of the rear-guards in her column into soul. Since I put a Ririmi, I can give one of my units +5k. I choose Rarami! (25000 > 30000) Boosted by Ririmi, Rarami attacks! (30000 > 38000)"

"That's still bigger than a trigger to guard... good thing I have Palvi! Her skill, since you're grade 3, she gets +5k shield! (35000 > 40000)"

"Ririmi's skill, I put all of the rear-guards in her column into soul. Since I put a Rarami, and I didn't countercharge this turn, I soulblast to countercharge. With that, turn end. I ride back down to Deepening Night, Tamayura from bind."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Admittedly, I felt like I was about to be pushed into a corner there... good thing that Heal trigger came when it did.

Kuyou:
Hand: 9
Damage: 2
Energy: 0
OXO
OXO

Minoru:
Hand: 5
Damage: 3
Energy: 0
OXO
XOO

"Stand, draw, and charge! Become enraptured under the sweet starlight and dance to your death as you listen to the feathered diva's rising melody! Return to origin... I ride my avatar, Absolute Zero, Sagitta!"

At this very moment, it felt like I could spread the wings entrusted to me and take flight.

Sagitta, I'm counting on you! Let's do this!

This was the freedom that was given to me by her. This was the sense that every inch of my heart and body knew not to take for granted. This was self liberation that gave me the courage to step forward and try to become a kinder person than I was yesterday.

"Alha's skill! Since she was discarded, I energycharge 1! Casua's skill! When a grade 3 Absolute Zero is rode on top of her, I call her and Crau out from soul! Then, I call Lurinia and Felina! Felina's skill, I soulblast to set another Only My Stage! from deck! Lurinia's skill, I counterblast to scry 5 and add Casua to my hand! Sagitta's skill! I energyblast 4 to give her +10k and drive +1! (13000 > 23000/2d > 3d)"

I could feel the circuits in my body beginning to become warm as the overwhelmingly bright stage that Kuyou set up was slowly being dispersed into the void, dissipating to reveal a beautiful night sky dotted by an array of glittering stars.

"You can't escape the sun simply by flying into the night. It'll come back around eventually to swallow you up."

As if to counter the vision of my landscape, Kuyou's circuits coursed bright red through his right arm to maintain a shining beacon of sunlight that resembled dawn behind him.

"Do you know what your precious sun is, Kuyou? A star."

I raised my finger to the sky and grinned, the crystal blue circuits running through my body becoming hot as I expanded my control over the digital world, making all visible stars in the sky twinkle brightly like flashes of hope.

"And with this rising melody... each and every single star in the sky is under my jurisdiction!"

"You may control the night, but someone of your caliber can't ever control the light. Forcing the sun to set so you and your stars can shine is nothing but a pipe dream... all you can do is keep running away from it until one day— it swallows you whole."

"You're wrong... as long as I have these wings to keep me afloat in the darkness, I won't lose to anything... not even you! It's time to take flight! Beginning of battle phase, both my Stages give Felina boost, activating her skill to get +5k! (10000 > 15000) (10000 > 15000) Now boosted by Felina, Casua attacks! (10000 > 25000) Her skill, since I have a grade 3 Absolute Zero vanguard, she gets +5k! (25000 > 30000)"

"Then come at me, ku ku. Prove to everyone here watching us that your words aren't just for show... and beat me! No guard! (Stealth Fiend, Kawasohime)"

"Gladly... after everything you've done, I'm going to kill you for real, Kuyou! Casua's skill, at the end of the battle, she retires and I draw one! Boosted by Crau, Sagitta attacks! (23000 > 31000/3d)"

"Ku ku ku... and I'll still be remaining here, standing to return the favour tenfold, Minoru-san."

"I won't let you! For the sparkling stars, the veil of the night is uncovered by the freezing moonlight..."

A cold breath escaped my lips.

"...so bring down the ice blade of judgement and cut down the world to its very core with this song of absolution!"

At the same time, the temperature around us dropped immensely as an icy chill began flowing through the air. As it exponentially increased in intensity, a fog of mist fell over us, forming a thin layer of frost over me and Kuyou.

"Frozen Void Frenzy!"

Kuyou shivered as the frost on his skin grew thicker and hardened, spreading out to become true ice. He put his body close to the sunlight he was emitting, trying to melt it away, but the cold air relentlessly continued to stagger frost on him.

"Alha's skill in drop zone! When my grade 3 Absolute Zero vanguard attacks, I call her back to rear-guard! Return from the abyss, Alha!"

I narrowed my eyes, evolving the icy winds I was sending Kuyou's way into a full on blizzard, overwhelming him with a pelting of sleet and hail that bounced around recklessly in the night sky with the tenacious flap of my wings.

"Ku ku ku... it's so cold, you've even managed to jam my circuits from heating up... there's nothing I can do to stop this, huh?"

Even though snow and ice was also piling up on my shoulders, I felt nothing. Standing in the centre of this subzero atmosphere, the warmth of these wings given to me was more than enough to protect me from these below freezing temperatures.

"Do you understand now, Kuyou?"

But for Kuyou, I wanted him to feel it— the coldness of a world that rejected you.

"I do. That despite all your heroics, this underhanded way of fighting is your style? Ku ku, somehow I'm not surprised. It's always those who bark about their ideals the most that end up being the biggest hypocrites. As much as you think you're doing something here by freezing my body over with ice... this is nothing compared to some of the fights I've faced in the past. No guard!"

Another cold breath escaped my lips as I finished listening to Kuyou's answer.

"No... that's wrong."

I raised my arm, pointing at his heart.

"Even under the mirror of the moonlight, you couldn't see past anything but yourself when faced against the abyss..."

Then, I squeezed my outstretched hand into a tight fist.

"...that's why, this outcome has been decided for you."

To achieve equality, everyone must first know what true despair tastes like.

"You'll disappear silently, drowned out under the sound of this melody."

But if nothing within them changes after being visited by the harbinger who brings the last laugh...

"Triple Drive!!! (Radiance Caliburn, Soapy Splash, Riviena, Astesice, Misa) Alright, critical trigger!"

...then they weren't ever fit for that paradise to begin with.

"Power to Alha, critical to vanguard! (10000 > 20000) (31000/1 > 2/3d)"

Because to create a world of equality, you need to get rid of anything that is the antithesis of that.

"Go, Sagitta! With your voice, turn everything in your sight into ice!"

So, if one day, it turns out that nothing in this world is truly equal...

"So cold it burns..."

...then I'll be the one who returns everything to absolute zero.

"...that's Absolute Zero!"

"Damage checks! (Broken Toys, Blaze Maiden, Zonne) Critical trigger, all to Tamayura! (13000 > 23000)"

"Boosted by Felina, Lurinia attacks! (10000 > 25000) Lurinia's skill, when she attacks a grade 3 or greater unit, she gets +5k! (25000 > 30000)"

"Rona guards! (38000)"

"Now, Sagitta's skill that's applied to all units! From the fourth battle of the turn onwards, when a unit attacks, you have to discard one! As such, I'm discarding Clarie to let Alha attack! (20000) Clarie's skill, she goes to soul! Sagitta's skill, since I discarded by card ability during my turn, I counterblast to draw! Alha's skill, since I have a grade 3 Absolute Zero vanguard, she gets +10k! (20000 > 30000)"

"Once more, Rona guards! (38000)"

For a moment, I considered activating my Arcana ability to try and close out the game, but decided it was a bad timing for it. Even though I managed to push Kuyou to five, he got a damage trigger, so without Persona Ride and Crau's boost, I wouldn't be able to break through his remaining seven card hand.

"Tch... that's all from me. Turn end."

"Excellent. I hope you don't have any regrets, because that turn was just your last."

"If you're going to try to hit me with everything you've got, you better be prepared to sacrifice your hand in the process."

"I won't need a hand if you're dead."

The freezing blizzard around us died down as my turn came to an end. While remnants of snow and ice remained on our bodies, the temperature had evened out, allowing Kuyou to use his circuits again.

Kuyou:
Hand: 7
Damage: 5
Energy: 0
OXO
OXO

Minoru:
Hand: 8
Damage: 3
Energy: 0
XXX
XXX

"Final turn!"

Immediately, Kuyou activated his circuits to bring us back inside the blazing sunlight, melting away any traces of my last turn under the intense heat of daybreak.

"Stand, draw, and charge. Tamayura's skill, at the beginning of my ride phase, I get the ability to give all my front row units +5k this turn! (13000 > 18000) The blue moon above shall burn up under the ascending sunlight that signals a new dawn. The mystic nine tails that stock hidden power, unleash everything stored in a blaze of purification! I ride my avatar, Will-o-wisp Daybreak, Tamayura!"

Once more, green will-o-wisps surrounded itself around Kuyou. However, this time, two fox ears and nine fox tails sprouted from his head and back respectively. Even the fangs of his teeth grew to be noticeably larger.

"Whew, this is refreshing... I haven't done this in a long time. Tamayura's skill, I add Scarlet of Fluttering Evanescent Life from deck to my hand and activate Persona Ride! (18000 > 28000) Now I play Scarlet of Fluttering Evanescent Life to soulblast two and revive a Ririmi and Rarami each from my drop. Come back, Twin Direful Dolls, Ririmi and Rarami! (10000 > 15000 > 25000) (10000 > 15000 > 25000) This time, I'm using Ririmi's skill! Since I have a Rarami rear-guard, I soulblast two to put one of your rear-guards into soul! I choose Alha!"

"So you're targeting my intercepts to reduce my shield, huh? Alha goes in."

"That's the plan. And since I soulblasted a G1 Ririmi and Rarami, I'll activate their skills, counterblasting one for each to call them behind their respective partners! And finally, the finishing move..."

The red circuits faintly visible throughout Kuyou's body started turning gold as it flowed and pulsed like golden blood in his veins, racing towards the heart of his torso to form a Roman numeral on his now exposed chest.

"I'll indulge you in the Ace's authority, ku ku."

XVI.

"Tower ability, activate."

"Hellfire Aria. With this prayer, for the rest of my turn, all of your units lose 10k power!"

"What the... this is just an offensive version of your Blitz Order! (10000 > 0) (13000 > 3000) (10000 > 0) (8000 > -2000) (10000 > 0)"

"Exactly. Instead of being bound to just sealing your power on your turn... I've harnessed the power of the Arcana to be able to seal it on my turn too. With this, you no longer stand a chance at stopping my attacks. It's time to exorcise the darkness! Boosted by Rarami, Ririmi attacks! (25000 > 33000)"

"Crap... Misa, Clarie, and Crau guard! Lurinia intercepts! Clarie's skill, she gets +5k shield since I have an Absolute Zero vanguard! (3000 > 18000 > 23000 > 28000 > 33000 > 38000)"

"Rarami's skill, all rear-guards in her column go to soul, and since I put in a Ririmi, one of my units get +5k! I choose Rarami! (25000 > 30000) Boosted by Ririmi, Rarami attacks! (30000 > 38000)"

"No guard! (Absolute Zero, Sagitta) No trigger..."

"Looks like even your avatar has abandoned you. Might be time to find a new pair of wings to cling onto. Ririmi's skill, all the rear-guards in her column go to soul, and since I put in a Rarami, I soulblast to countercharge. Boosted by Kawasohime, Tamayura attacks! (28000 > 35000) Tamayura's skill! I bind Deepening Night, Tamayura from my soul to superior call G2 Ririmi and Rarami from my soul, and they get +5k! (10000 > 15000 > 20000 > 30000) (10000 > 15000 > 20000 > 30000) Then, with Rarami's skill, I soulblast 2 to draw! And once again, I counterblast for each to call my soulblasted G1 Ririmi and Rarami behind their respective partners! Now burn those wings into empty feathers under your festival of light, Tamayura! Fox Arts - Relight Fireworks!"

"There's no way I'd ever sever my bond with Sagitta that easily! You're going to have to do a hell of a lot more than that to take my wings away! Riviena, perfect guard!"

"Twin Drive!! (Blaze Maiden, Rona) Heal trigger. Power to Ririmi (30000 > 40000) and healing a damage! (Blaze Maiden, Parama) Ku ku... ku ku ku... ku ha ha ha! Perfect, a front trigger! Everything in my front row gets +10k! (40000 > 50000) (35000 > 45000) (30000 > 40000)"

"Damn... that's the one trigger I did not want to see..."

With only three cards left in hand, and no other sentinels, I was in deep trouble. I could safely take Ririmi's attack, but whether or not I could guard Rarami's attack was a complete gamble... I had to get a damage trigger at the very least.

"It's over. This aria provided by the Tower will be the last song your ears will ever hear. Sagitta's skill, since this is the fourth battle of the turn, I'm discarding one to attack. Boosted by Rarami, Ririmi attacks! (50000 > 58000)"

"Tch, no guard...! (Conscientious Meeting, Felina)"

My eyes widened as I didn't get a trigger off the top. I gritted the back of my teeth and looked up at Kuyou from my hand. He was smiling smugly while his circuits were blazing gold.

"Rarami's skill, all rear-guards go to soul, and my other Rarami gets +5k! (40000 > 45000) Sagitta's skill once more, I'm discarding one to attack. Boosted by Ririmi, Rarami attacks! (45000 > 53000)"

I squeezed my fists and hovered my hand over the top of my deck.

"Damn it... so it's come down to this, huh...?"

"Ku ku. All your spunk from earlier is completely gone. Right now, you look like a desperate dog begging for a second chance at life."

"Well yeah... your Arcana ability combined with that Front trigger completely cornered me. If I wasn't reduced to a 3k base vanguard, I'd still have a chance at guarding that attack..."

"Even if it means crippling your resources to get to that next turn?"

"I forced you to discard two as well out of it, so I wouldn't say it's a complete waste."

"Right. The only way you could escape is by guarding with a sentinel or an overTrigger. And consider where your hand is now..."

"Yeah. No guard."

Sagitta... please, I'm counting on you... don't let it end here... don't let this asshole get his way...!

As I was about to flip over the top card of my deck, a sudden shout from the crowd stopped me.

"Takamine-san... don't give up! You can still win this! I believe in you!"

I turned around, looking straight at Kurosaki who was screaming at me to not give up.

A faint smile appeared on my lips.

I was so immersed in winning this fight, I had totally forgotten she was here, risking herself to watch me...

"So you were cheering me on this entire time... ah man, I must look really god damn lame right now!"

I slapped my cheeks and grinned.

"You're kidding me... that's all it took to get you pumped up again? Ku ku."

"When you have the support of your friends... you can do anything. Even overturning this situation!"

Kuyou narrowed his eyes at me before muttering to himself.

"Friends, huh... ku ku ku. What a waste."

Without any hesitation, I reached out to the top card of my deck and grabbed it.

With Sagitta's wings... and Kurosaki's belief in me... and my own strength...

I'll get a Heal trigger and live!

"Damage check!"

But when I flipped the card over...

"Ku ku..."

...a small laugh escaped Kuyou's lips.

"(Absolute Zero, Sagitta)"

My eyes widened.

"No way..."

My sixth damage was nothing but no trigger.

"Too bad, Minoru-san. I guess you really couldn't match up to an Ace's strength after all."

I sighed, but accepted this was fate.

"I suppose not. Today wasn't my lucky day either, apparently..."

There was nothing more I could do now except replay the game and analyse where I could've done better to improve.

"It happens. Good game nevertheless. You played well."

But damn... it's frustrating as hell to lose to a guy like Kuyou.

"You too. Good game."

As much as I hate to admit it, he's a good player.

We shook hands, showing mutual respect before disengaging from the digital world.

At the very least, I can respect that much about him... but I still stand by his personality being bottom of the barrel.

"I wonder how much my ranking dropped by..."

Opening a floating tab in front of me, I checked the MGP leaderboard. After that loss from Kuyou, my positioning dropped ever so slightly, but it wasn't enough to kick me out of Category King. I scratched the back of my head before closing it.

"Takamine-san... a-are you okay?"

Approaching me was Kurosaki, who had also taken her Desire Specs off.

"Hey, I should be asking you that. Feeling nauseous at all?"

Kurosaki looked away.

"Y-yeah... b-but, I think I can manage..."

It's obvious by her shaking that she was probably on the verge of throwing up multiple times during that.

"You don't have to act strong around me. Come on, let's get you sat down and have a drink of water."

She nodded and we went to go to the cafeteria. However, on our way there...

"Oi, you two."

Chasing after us was Kuyou, who tapped me on the shoulder to grab my attention.

"Huh? What is it?"

Kuyou opened a floating messages tab and slid it over to us. I read over it, raising an eyebrow.

"Sensei's calling. Emergency Q Class meeting, or something."

I sighed, closing the tab.

"You've got to be kidding me... it's our first day here, what could they possibly have an emergency meeting over?"

"Beats me. But let's go, she'll be angry if we're late."

"Wait, but Kurosaki-san, she needs..."

"I-I got a drink from the vending machine! L-let's go, Takamine-san..."

Kurosaki showed a bottle of green tea she had just purchased. I wasn't truly sure if she was okay, but if this was her wishes, then I'd follow.

"Alright then. I hope it's nothing annoying..."

The three of us returned to Q Class.

As we walked back, thoughts about that fight against Kuyou kept swirling in the back of my mind.

Sagitta... did you give up on me in that fight because you were disappointed in my performance?

Or was it because... I had those thoughts again?