"Mai could've attacked first and then Fusion Summoned," Otogi frowned. "That would wipe all of Jounouchi's Sheep Tokens. Why would she reduce her field from three monsters to two?"
"Because she's planning to win decisively with Amazoness Empress," Kisaragi said.
"What?!" several voices overlapped.
Mai lifted her chin, eyes still frosty.
"Jounouchi—while Amazoness Empress is on the field, when an 'Amazoness' monster attacks a Defense Position monster, you take battle damage equal to the amount by which my ATK exceeds its DEF."
Jounouchi's eyes widened. "What?! That thing has that effect too?!"
"So that's it," Yami Yugi murmured. "Mai has 2500 and 2800 ATK monsters. Against Sheep Tokens with 0 DEF, that's lethal."
"Battle!" Mai snapped. "Amazoness Fighter attacks the first Sheep Token—Amazoness Holy Sword Slash!"
The warrior leapt and split the token cleanly in two.
"Then I flip my Trap—'Stamina Booster: Super Z'!" Jounouchi barked. "When I would take 2000 or more battle damage, I gain 4000 LP!"
Jounouchi LP 4000 → 8000Jounouchi LP 8000 → 5500
"Nice—he won't lose this turn!" Honda pumped a fist.
Mai didn't hesitate.
"Amazoness Empress attacks another Sheep Token!"
The Empress raised her massive blade and cut the token horizontally—
Jounouchi LP 5500 → 2400
"Gah!" Jounouchi staggered from the shockwave—and the wind at a thousand meters did the rest. His pocket loosened. A small bundle of cloth slipped free, fluttered across the dueling platform… and landed right at Mai's feet.
Mai froze.
"…This is… my handkerchief?"
Her eyes—momentarily blank a second ago—flickered back to life.
"Jounouchi," she said slowly, voice lower. "Why do you have my handkerchief?"
Jounouchi's face went nuclear red.
"I—I picked it up back on Duelist Kingdom," he sputtered. "And I just… y'know… kept it. As a… memento…"
The spectators went dead silent.
Then Jounouchi panicked at the silence.
"HEY! You guys could react a little! This is humiliating!"
Honda whispered, loud enough to be heard anyway: "So… Jounouchi likes Mai?"
Jounouchi went even redder, which somehow seemed impossible.
Anzu held her forehead. "Then why was Mai acting so cold?"
Kisaragi's expression tightened—then she connected the dots.
"She misunderstood," Kisaragi said, matter-of-fact. "Jounouchi went to my room earlier to ask for advice, and she saw him go in. She didn't hear what was said."
Anzu groaned. "Of course she did. You can't just walk into a girl's room and expect it not to look suspicious."
Jounouchi's mind echoed with Kisaragi's blunt advice from earlier:
If you like someone and you don't say it, how are they supposed to know? You want the girl to chase you?
He drew a breath, then looked Mai straight in the eyes—serious enough to stun her.
"Jounouchi…?" Mai blinked, thrown off. "What are you doing?"
"Mai," he said, voice shaking—but steadying with every word. "I'm done hiding it."
"From the first time I met you, you got stuck in my head. And you never left. I was too embarrassed to say it… but if I don't say it now, I'll regret it for the rest of my life!"
The entire arena froze again.
Honda leaned toward Otogi. "Someone pinch me. Is he… confessing right now?"
Otogi pinched Honda hard.
"OW—YOU IDIOT! Why so hard?!"
Anzu exhaled, half stunned, half amused. "He finally grew up."
Shizuka nodded softly. "Yeah… I can tell Big Brother really likes Mai."
Mai's brain visibly bluescreened for a second—then she snapped back, cheeks burning.
"Y-You idiot!" she yelled. "Is now the time to say that?! Everyone's watching!"
"I don't care!" Jounouchi said, stubborn to the bone. "I'm saying it!"
Mai's expression softened—just a fraction—and her lips curled.
"Fine," she said. "If you want to pursue me… then beat me."
Jounouchi slammed a fist into his palm. "Done. I'm winning this duel!"
Mai's turn ended. (Hand: 3)
Amazoness Fighter (1900/300)
"My turn. Draw!"
"I activate 'Pot of Greed'—I draw two!"
The moment he saw the cards, his gaze sharpened.
"Mai," he said, low and confident now. "This duel ends here."
Mai blinked—then smirked, finally looking like herself again.
"Oh? Then show me."
"I activate Equip Spell 'Premature Burial'! I pay 800 LP, Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard, and equip it with this card—if the Equip is destroyed, the monster is destroyed too!"
"I Special Summon 'Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning'!"
Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning (2500/1200)
Jounouchi LP 2400 → 1600
"And now I activate 'Harpie's Feather Duster'—returning all Spell/Trap cards on the field to the hand!"
A violent gale tore through Mai's jungle. The forest illusion shattered and vanished.
"Yes! Now Mai can't banish his monsters!" Honda blurted.
"And that's not even the point," Kisaragi said, eyes narrowing. "Watch what happens to Premature Burial."
Jounouchi grinned, catching the line.
"Because Premature Burial returned to my hand instead of being destroyed, Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning stays on the field!"
Kisaragi smiled faintly. "Exactly."
"And I activate 'Premature Burial' again! Pay 800—Special Summon 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon'!"
Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000)
Mai lifted her chin, calm again.
"Jounouchi—those two monsters still aren't enough to take me down in one turn."
Jounouchi's grin widened.
"Don't worry, Mai… the real show starts now."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 147)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter185)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter215)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 185
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/1
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 206
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 190
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/23
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 106
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 125
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 90
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 80
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 86
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 81
Still playing traditional Honk 65
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 65
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 57
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 45
Transmigrated as Sukuna 59
Checking In in Demon Slayer 59
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 73
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 45
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 36
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 40
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 60
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 30
Why did they assign me to Uma 35
MYGO Beauties 43
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 30
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 31
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