"[Heroic Spirit Rejection]— The opponent cannot respond to this card's activation. Activating this card requires paying half your Life Points. Declare a card name. If the opponent's deck contains that card, one copy of it is banished. If the declaration succeeds, you may activate this effect once more without paying Life Points."
Beast grinned from ear to ear as she watched Romulus' grim expression."That's right. The card I declare is [Romulus-Quirinus]!"
□□ LP 2000 → LP 1000
A golden glow shot out from Jiang You's deck, banished before it could even reach the battlefield. A mighty Grand Servant had been sealed before it could appear.
"Now then, I still have one more use of this effect. What should I banish next?"
Beast sifted through the memories of Gilgamesh, searching for threats she needed to watch out for.
"I declare [Justeaze]! A Servant whose effects I don't understand is far too dangerous—I'll have her banished!"
Another of Jiang You's ace cards was ripped from his deck.
"This is way too targeted! Sis, are you even playing fair?!"
Under normal circumstances, this card wouldn't be very useful—it couldn't banish Extra Deck monsters, so it wouldn't be able to remove things like powerful Xyz bosses.But in this kind of crossover event? It was broken. Grand Servants, which were limited to one copy per deck as a plot-relevant countermeasure, were outright banned.
That said, it did fit the lore—declaring rejection against Heroic Spirits that refused humanity.
Beast's smile remained as dazzling as ever.
"Oh my, thank you for the praise~ But I'm not that powerful, you know."
"Now then, I activate [Maintaining Elegance]—I'll banish ten cards face-down to draw two.And next, the Spell Card [Elixir of Immortality]! I Special Summon [Gilgamesh] from the graveyard!"
With Gilgamesh's return, Gate of Babylon unfurled once more. Four primordial Noble Phantasms lined up behind him in a row.
[Gilgamesh] ATK 3000 → 5000
"Tch. Damn it. Bug, is your whole field just little girls?!"
Gilgamesh scanned Jiang You's board. Things weren't looking good.If Jiang You lost, the best-case scenario was that Beast would gain her fifth tail and strengthen her deck immensely.The worst-case scenario?She was telling the truth, and the world was doomed.
"You have bested me before. I refuse to allow you to lose to something like this!"
Beast giggled, spreading her arms wide.
"Now then, get ready, everyone! It's time for a Grand Giveaway!First up—[Morning Glory]! 0 ATK is just too scary!"
One of Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasms fired at the harmless-looking, brown-haired loli.
"If I didn't have a counterplay, I wouldn't have let her hit the field so easily!I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Tactical Retreat]!I return one face-up Assassin to my hand and draw a card!"
Just as the Noble Phantasm was about to pierce through the tiny girl, she transformed into a streak of light and returned to Jiang You's hand.Jiang You drew a card as a result. He looked at it in shock.[Bitter Choice].
"This is the first time I've drawn it naturally, instead of as my fated draw."
Beast laughed sweetly.
"Oh my, my dear, you really do have wonderful luck. But you still have to take damage from the release effect~"
Jiang You LP 4000 → LP 3500
"Even so, I still have three more shots. Now then—let's get rid of this white-haired loli, shall we?"
Another Noble Phantasm targeted Illyasviel.
"Caster, you promised you'd help me. Don't lose now."
Illya faced Gilgamesh's attack head-on, disappearing in the radiance of his Noble Phantasm.
Jiang You LP 3500 → LP 3000
"Now then, this crazy zealot girl is the last line of defense.Mr. King of Heroes, don't you dare go easy on her~"
"Damn it—Bug, if you have anything up your sleeve, now's the time!"
Gilgamesh looked even more anxious than Jiang You. He wanted to defy Beast's orders, but the rules were absolute.Even a Grand Servant couldn't resist.Let alone his current self.
The third Noble Phantasm was fired.
Jiang You LP 3000 → LP 2500
A storm of dust and debris filled the battlefield, making it impossible to see what had happened.
"Got her~☆"
But before Beast's final star could shine, the dust was slashed apart by a fluttering cloak.
[Fanatic] ATK 2000 → 1500
"Denying Warmth!Fanatic's effect—when destroyed by battle or effect, I can detach an Xyz Material instead!"
Fanatic possessed the abilities of the Eighteen Hassans. Some were merely imitations, but others could surpass the originals.
"Good work!"
Gilgamesh couldn't help but praise the move.Then he realized—his attack had been negated by a mere Assassin, a tiny girl at that.How disgraceful.With a cough, he quickly regained his composure.
"Such greed, my dear. Looks like I won't be able to hold anything back.Now then—the fourth shot!"
At Beast's command, the final Noble Phantasm was unleashed.
Jiang You LP 2500 → LP 2000
[Gilgamesh] ATK 5000 → 3000[Fanatic] ATK 1500 → 1000
"My dear, the attack power is just right now.Say goodnight~ Gilgamesh, attack Fanatic!"
Gilgamesh was a top-tier Servant. Under the right conditions, he could end a duel outright.
But Jiang You wasn't without options.
"I activate the effect of [Morning Glory] from my hand!When the opponent declares an attack, I can discard this card to switch that monster to Defense Position!"
A spectral image of the brown-haired loli appeared before Gilgamesh, her teary-eyed expression making her look utterly pitiful.No matter what he did, he couldn't bring his sword down.
[Gilgamesh] DEF 2500
"What a shame."
Beast placed three face-down cards on her field.
"I end my turn."
"My turn—draw!"
"First, I activate [Bitter Choice]!I select two copies of [Kiritsugu Emiya] and one [Heaven's Dress]!Come on, Beast—make your pick!"
Beast sighed and rolled her eyes.
"My dear, you just want to get Origin Bullet, don't you?"
She needed to reduce his hand advantage.
"I pick [Kiritsugu Emiya]."
"Due to one [Kiritsugu Emiya] being sent to the graveyard, I add [Origin Bullet] to my hand!"
Jiang You began his core combo.
"In the graveyard, [Heaven's Dress] activates!I banish one [Illyasviel] to Special Summon it in Attack Position!"
Beast calmly flipped over one of her set cards.
"Don't go thinking about other women while on a date, dear~I activate [Beast IV's Tail]—I destroy [Dress of Heaven]!"