"Before that, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card 'Communion with Outer Gods Ritual'! I target one Servant Card I control and Tribute it. I regain Life Points equal to its Attack Power and inflict half of the recovered amount as damage to my opponent! Then, at the start of my next turn, I Special Summon one Foreigner-Class Servant from my Graveyard!"
To survive, Nero chose to sacrifice herself.
"My Attack Power is 3800, so I'll regain 3800 Life Points and inflict 1900 damage to you!"
The effect was like a combination of "Mystical Wok" and "Catapult Turtle," with a delayed Special Summon thrown in—a perfect example of the Foreigner Class's typically straightforward and brutal style.
Nero's Life Points: 1500 → 5300.
Prisma Illya's Life Points: 3000 → 1100.
In an instant, the Life Point gap widened dramatically, turning Nero's disadvantage into an advantage. She breathed a sigh of relief. With this much health and the Graveyard Effect to skip the Battle Phase, she could safely survive until her next turn—unless Prisma Illya somehow managed to deal over 5300 direct damage in one go.
"Ugh! That hurts... How could you?!"
Recovering nearly 3800 Life Points at once was outrageous enough for Prisma Illya, but it also slashed her own Life Points to a dangerously low level.
It's not hopeless, she thought, but I have to find a way to remove that card from the Graveyard before it skips the Battle Phase.
1100 Life Points was far too risky against a Foreigner-Class deck, which was packed with direct damage effects.
"With 4500 Attack Power plus 1500 burn damage at the end of the turn, I could also win outright."
"But I don't have any cards like that in my deck."
Prisma Illya's own deck lacked cards that could affect the opponent's Graveyard. Precisely removing that specific Graveyard Effect would be difficult.
"Wait, you can see the opponent's card effects? We can't see anything."
Through their Mental Link, Jiang You had shared his ability to see card effects with Prisma Illya.
"It's my own Noble Phantasm, after all. A few special privileges are to be expected, right?"
"That's so unfair!"
Even as a beneficiary, Prisma Illya found Jiang You's advantage despicable. Duels were supposed to be fought on fair ground, yet here he was, playing by one set of rules while everyone else followed another.
"Isn't this just bullying?!"
"Cut the crap. You're an accomplice, aren't you?"
Jiang You scoffed. The original anime was designed this way, and the NPCs on the official server got the same treatment. It was a player's privilege—if you didn't like it, don't play! "As for the Graveyard problem, one of the cards I gave you, 'Chaos Dream,' can handle it. Unfortunately, it's my core Authority, so drawing it directly will be tough for you. You'll need to find a card that can search for it."
"You said it's your card. How am I supposed to search for it specifically?"
Prisma Illya had search cards, but they were designed for her own deck.
"I'll handle it. Watch me print one out for you."
When Jiang You had passed Prisma Illya the cards, he'd also slipped her a Blank Card. He'd originally wanted to see if it would generate a deck, but given her current situation, it seemed like he'd just gifted her a complete set for free. Coincidentally, Jiang You had a hunch that his next draw would be that very Blank Card.
"Did you just say something completely insane? You can print cards on the spot?! How is anyone supposed to beat you?!"
Prisma Illya rolled her eyes. If Jiang You could go this far, he might as well just declare himself the winner. What was the point of even playing cards anymore?
"It's not like that. I only became this broken recently. There were times before when my card effects weren't even as strong as my opponents'."
For a while, Jiang You had been using Hundred Faces' deck, where his ultimate monster was 'Fanatic'—a card that would be instantly taken down in the current meta.
"And are you going to save her or not? Win the duel first, then worry about all this other stuff. Use 'United Performance's' fourth effect and draw cards."
"Fine, you despicable adult."
Prisma Illya nodded. "First, I activate 'United Performance's' effect: Pay 1000 of your Life Points to draw two cards."
"Pay my Life Points?"
Nero glanced at her own health, then laughed. "No problem! I activate the effect of 'Golden Theater of the End of Time'! I'll convert this Life Point payment into Life Point recovery!"
Nero LP: 5300 → 6300
"Are you sure this is okay?"
Prisma Illya stared at Nero, whose Life Points had now surpassed 6000. The 4500 Attack Power on her field, combined with the end-of-turn burn damage, totaled only 6000 damage. Moreover, 'Golden Theater of the End of Time' had an effect that could seize control of monsters. At this Life Point total, any monster she summoned would be snatched away unless it had some kind of resistance.
"Once you play that card, she'll realize her mistake," Jiang You said with absolute confidence, focusing intently on printing the card. The Graveyards on both sides were now sufficiently filled. There was one card that could finally unleash its full power.
"Alright, I'll trust you this once."
If we lose, it's all Jiang You's fault anyway, Prisma Illya thought. My power comes from him, so he can take the blame.
She drew the top two cards from her Deck. As her fingers closed around the first one, a jolt like an electric shock surged through her body. Intense magical power radiated from the card, as if it were constructing something. Prisma Illya looked down at her hand.
[Prayer to the Outer Gods]Spell Card
1. You can only activate this card if you have 2 or more "Miko" Servants in your Graveyard. Return all "Witch" cards to the Deck, then add 1 "Blind Stupidity" card from your Deck to your hand. The activation of this effect cannot be negated.
2. Once per turn: You can banish this card from your Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Miko" card from your Deck. The Servant summoned by this effect is unaffected by your opponent's effects and cannot be destroyed by battle until the start of the next turn. You can also activate this effect during your opponent's turn.
Jiang You had intercepted the rules of his mental link with Prisma Illya and temporarily forged this Spell Card, perfectly tailored to counter the current situation. The card art depicted Prisma Illya in a Mystic Code, praying inside a church-like building. Her expression was devout, radiating piety. The only thing that seemed off was the unsettling imagery depicted in the stained-glass windows behind her.
"Is this really how you see me?"
Prisma Illya couldn't imagine ever showing Jiang You such a devout expression. True, she was his miko now, but she'd been half-coerced into it. There was no way she'd ever give him a pleasant look.
"In your dreams!" she declared. "I activate the effect of [Prayer to the Outer Gods]! I return two [Twin Miko] to the Deck and add one [Chaos Dream] to my hand!"
After reading the effect of [Chaos Dream], Prisma Illya exclaimed again, "This effect is insane! Jiang You, you're too despicable! I activate [Chaos Dream]!"
Nero, who had seen this card before, sighed and lowered her hand. The Duel was already lost.