Chapter 5
“Very well—let the Gathering Phase of the Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game begin, nyaahhh!!”
“”Woooaahhhhhh!!””
April 10th, Sunday. A large crowd had gathered to watch our Duel on their day off, erupting into cheers in sync with the announcer Kazami’s scream.
The location was the same District Four General Athletic Stadium we used last time. However, unlike two days ago, the spectator seats, which could hold over five thousand people, were completely packed. It was said that even more—nearly double that number—were watching the live stream through the Libra app. If I may say so myself, the matchup of “Academy Island’s Strongest VS Seiran Kugasaki” seemed to be just as insanely popular as expected.
“Still… that guy’s energy is as high as ever.”
I muttered that thought as Kazami’s opening declaration assaulted my eardrums through the stream. …Yes, actually, I wasn’t currently standing in the stadium itself but rather in front of the familiar gate of Eimei Academy, where I’d grown accustomed to being. As I confirmed yesterday, the Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game was a two-part Duel. The first half, the Gathering Phase, would take place across all of District Four, and we were given some leeway to choose our starting positions.
Anyway, now that the Duel had begun, I quickly checked my device—and changes were already apparent. Five cards appeared on the map: 2, 5, 9, 14, and 17. Thanks to my Luck ability, it felt like they were somewhat clustered nearby.
Just as I finished checking them, a faint noise crackled through the earpiece in my right ear.
“Connection established. —Master, if you’re in a situation where you can respond, please do so.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. There’s a helicopter flying overhead, but at that height, it shouldn’t pick up my voice. The Display Bug is already in place, so that’s good… For now, should I head to the nearest one, 14?”
“Indeed. Let’s start by securing one card. After that, if a new card appears with a number higher than 17, we’ll go for that; if it’s lower, we’ll head to 17.”
“Got it. …But 17 is a bit far, isn’t it? Should I use a bus?”
“Yes. The route from 14 to 17 conveniently follows a bus line running through District Four—so we’ve prepared a dedicated bus disguised as a regular route. It’ll take you straight to your destination.”
“O-oh… That’s refreshingly underhanded.”
I chuckled bitterly as I started running in the direction of my target. Of course, it wasn’t a negative comment; more like, “As expected, this team is the strongest.” This time, it seemed Himeji-san understood my sentiment, as I could hear a smug silence (?) coming through the earpiece.
I kept running for a while—but then, I noticed something.
Glancing down, I saw that one of the five cards that had been displayed on the screen just moments ago—the 5—had vanished. And it hadn’t even been five minutes since the Duel started. It seemed someone on the opposing side had already claimed it.
I reported this with a puzzled tone, and Himeji-san responded calmly, “Is that so?”
“That’s pretty fast. It’s possible they started near the card’s coordinates by coincidence. Even though we’re manipulating the coordinates, it’s only by a margin of error at best. Besides, since the cards are projected as holograms, they can be seen visually. If someone heads to the location, interfering with the map is just a stalling tactic.”
“Hm… Yeah, you’re right. It’s not really surprising.”
“Exactly, Master. …However, they’ve likely noticed that the map’s coordinates are off. The question now is how they’ll move from here.”
True enough. It was a fact that Kugasaki had moved quickly, but the number taken was the low-value 5. If he’d noticed our strategy, he shouldn’t be able to use any Position Coordinate Manipulation carelessly. If we could stall him like that and secure the higher numbers in the meantime—
“Urk…!”
In that instant, a sound like a voiceless scream struck my ears through the device.
“Huh… Himeji-san? Hey, what’s wrong!?”
“N-no… I’m sorry, I lost my composure. It’s just that I was watching the Libra stream on another screen, and it seems Kugasaki-sama just claimed his second card.”
“…What?”
I froze at the slightly panicked voice of Himeji-san.
Kugasaki took a second card…? No, that’s strange. None of the cards displayed on my device had decreased. The numbers 2, 9, 14, and 17, plus the newly appeared 7, were all still there. None were missing. None had been taken.
“And yet, Kugasaki is increasing his cards…?”
“Yes. …Kazami-san from Libra mentioned it too, but it’s likely that Kugasaki-sama obtained a card that isn’t yet displayed on our devices. In fact, the screen shows that his side’s hand consists of a 5 and a Face-Down Display—a card whose number hasn’t been determined yet.”
“A card whose info hasn’t been revealed yet… Wait, is Kugasaki using Search?”
I murmured in confusion, furrowing my brow slightly.
Search—that was the ability Sarasa Saionji had mentioned, used to investigate coordinates. If he knew the positions from the start, it wouldn’t be surprising if he could take cards before their information was revealed. And if the card wasn’t on the map to begin with, taking it wouldn’t change the device’s display.
“U-um, that doesn’t contradict anything, but… wasn’t it said that strategy isn’t very effective? Moving without knowing the numbers is extremely inefficient, right?”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought, but…”
I nodded vaguely, my right hand resting near my mouth. …Inefficient. That made sense. A combination of Number Management, †Black Wings†, and Search would make card collection far too inefficient. But at the same time, I couldn’t imagine creating this situation without Search.
“Then… could Kugasaki have abandoned Number Management—”
“—Oh? So you arrived at that conclusion, Seven Star. It seems you do have some game sense.”
“Wha—Kugasaki!?”
I widened my eyes at the sudden, irritating voice that came through my device.
Seiran Kugasaki—the five-star student closest to the Empress. The one who should have been dominating the Duel with unknown tactics was now speaking to me in a taunting tone for some reason.
After confirming that Himeji-san had fallen silent, I suppressed my agitation and responded.
“You… how are you even contacting me? You shouldn’t know my device ID.”
“Oh, come now. It seems everyone’s misunderstood, but my †Black Wings† isn’t just for Performance Enhancement. It can also replay my voice remotely or do the reverse. Quite convenient, don’t you think?”
“Huh. …So, what do you want? If you’re just bragging about your ability, I’m hanging up.”
“As if. Heh… Listen, Seven Star, you must have thought this, right? Since my Number Management is inferior, I’d have to act during the Gathering Phase. And with †Black Wings† in play, I couldn’t possibly include a defensive ability. So, you figured you could interfere with my strategy without needing Nullification Pierce like last time.”
“…”
His reasoning was slightly off in places due to misaligned perspectives, but the gist was correct.
As I fell silent, struck by his accuracy, Kugasaki continued in a delighted tone over the device.
“Heh… I see. Well then, let me give you a little tip—your thinking is fundamentally flawed. More precisely, it’s something I led you to believe.”
“…What?”
“What, still don’t get it, Seven Star? In short, I’ve read all of your strategies. Not a single one of your offensive abilities has reached me. If things continue like this, the Duel will end in my complete victory. …Hmm, this is getting quite enjoyable, isn’t it?”
He delivered those mocking words with a sneer. I knew he was trying to rattle me, but even so, my expression naturally twisted. It made me sick.
“Heh—well, I’ll stop toying with you here. Goodbye, Shinohara. You have two seconds.”
With that unilateral statement, Kugasaki abruptly cut off communication. …Two seconds? That brief time passed in an instant, but nothing happened. It hadn’t even been ten minutes since the Duel started, so a countdown or anything like that shouldn’t—wait, ten minutes?
“…Something’s wrong.”
I stared blankly at the time display on my device, muttering softly.
That’s right—it was clearly strange that nothing had happened. After all, exactly ten minutes had passed since the Duel began. To put it another way, it was the time when, following the earlier “7,” the information for the second new card should have been revealed.
And yet—my device’s map still showed no new card.
“Urk…!”
Driven by a chilling premonition, I manipulated my device to project the Libra stream. The first thing that caught my eye was a close-up of the screen displaying both players’ hands.
Originally, my hand should have been zero cards, while Kugasaki’s should have shown a “5” and a Face-Down Display.
But… what was displayed was slightly different from that prediction.
“A 5 and a 10… right?”
Himeji-san’s voice, tinged with faint confusion, came through as soon as communication resumed.
“What does this mean? There shouldn’t have been any information about Kugasaki-sama gaining a 10, and besides, where did the earlier Face-Down Display go—”
“—No, that’s not it. It’s not a separate phenomenon. They’re connected… The Face-Down Display that should have been in Kugasaki’s hand turned into a 10. Or, more accurately, the number that was previously unknown was revealed as 10.”
“Revealed… ? You mean the information was disclosed? …Oh.”
“Yeah, exactly. Ten minutes have passed since the Duel started, but no new information appeared. Or rather, it looked like nothing appeared. …But in reality, it was disclosed. The number of the Face-Down Display card in Kugasaki’s hand.”
In other words—it was probably designed that way from the start. If a player held a Face-Down Display, its number would be revealed first at the disclosure timing, taking precedence over any cards on the field that were supposed to be revealed.
If that was the case, everything made sense. …And at the same time, I could start to see his strategy.
“In short—Kugasaki is using Search to find all the card locations and collect them one by one. That way, his hand will keep filling with Face-Down Displays, and their numbers will be determined one by one every five minutes. Conversely, no other information will be revealed.
If it were just one card, we might manage, but with two, it’s ten minutes; with three, it’s fifteen. If Kugasaki plans to keep taking Face-Down Displays, I’ll have to fight to the end with just the information currently on my screen.”
“Wha—! Th-then, Kugasaki-sama—has been planning to monopolize the cards from the start!?”
Himeji-san’s voice trembled violently.
Monopolize—yes, of course, there were some assumptions and guesses involved, but based on the situation, that was undoubtedly Kugasaki’s strategy. By continuously taking cards that weren’t yet on the screen, he’d prevent me from getting any additional information and forcibly dominate the Duel by conquering all the cards in the area.
“And… about what I was about to say earlier, he probably isn’t using Number Management either. Our interference isn’t working at all, so I think his third ability slot is defensive.”
“Abandoning Number Management for defense… No, it’s not impossible, but is he really that decisive? In the disclosure phase of the Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game, what matters isn’t the number of cards but the size of the numbers written on them. Besides, there’s a five-card limit in hand, so to get a sixth card, you’d have to discard one. Quality should matter more than quantity, right…?”
“True, but—!”
I forced my feet to move as I responded to Himeji-san’s desperate question.
“In the disclosure phase of the Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game, both players reveal cards from their hands and compare the numbers written on them. It happens five times, so to win, you need at least three victories—but what happens if my hand ends the Gathering Phase with two cards or fewer!?”
“A-ah—”
This time, Himeji-san was truly speechless. …Yes. That was likely Kugasaki’s goal all along. If he collected all eighteen cards during the Gathering Phase, his victory would be guaranteed at that point. That’s why he didn’t need Number Management in the first place—he was only using Search and abilities to protect it. With that setup, he’d crafted a strategy specialized in monopolizing cards.
And that strategy—was something neither I, Himeji-san, nor even Saionji had anticipated.
“…This is bad.”
“It’s not just bad, Master…! I just got word that the bus driven by Kagaya-san is stuck due to traffic restrictions!”
“What? Traffic restrictions…?”
“Yes. Apparently, a rampaging vehicle bearing the symbol of Kugasaki-sama’s organization, the Myriad Holy Knights, has been tearing through District Four since morning, and the disciplinary committee is dealing with it. …That explains why he’s been getting cards so quickly. Most likely, Kugasaki-sama is using the Myriad Holy Knights as his legs…!”
“What!? But third parties interfering in a Duel is—oh, right.”
I instinctively started to object but quickly realized. …Yes, as Saionji had mentioned yesterday, students designated under Emergency Mobilization are treated as participants, not third parties. Whether they cooperate or divide tasks, it doesn’t count as a violation.
“Urk… M-my strategy… it’s all been shattered…”
Over the device, Himeji-san’s voice trembled faintly, as if she’d completely shrunk back.
“It’s… it’s impossible now, Master. If they’ve sealed off cheating, there’s nothing more I can do. This Duel was already something where even if everything went perfectly, there’d only be a slim chance of victory… and now it’s been so thoroughly dismantled.”
“…No, not yet. It’s not over.”
“What are you going to do from here!?”
It was rare for Himeji-san to raise her voice in emotion, but it only lasted a moment. She quickly muttered, “…S-sorry,” and fell silent, as if crushed.
At that timing, I finally reached the location of my first card. The number I secured was 14—not bad, but the bus being stalled was unexpected. Even if I aimed for 17 by train from here, there was a high chance Kugasaki, who was moving by car, could overtake me.
And at that very moment, when negative thoughts crossed my mind—
“—Oh, there you are, Shinohara.”
Huh…? W-wait, Urasaka-senpai!?
A black motorcycle sped past me from behind and stopped diagonally ahead. The rider, removing their helmet, was none other than Urasaka-senpai, my opponent from the Duel two days ago.
“W-why is Urasaka—no, Motorcycle-senpai here?”
“Hey, ‘Motorcycle-senpai’… Well, whatever. I’m here because I was asked. If I was heading out, could I give you a lift, Shinohara?”
“Asked…? By who?”
“Dunno? I just got a super suspicious DM from an unknown sender via STOC.”
“What…? No way you’d come all the way here for that. …And anyway, riding with you would be a violation.”
“Because I’m a third party? Nah, that’s not a problem—look, here’s my work permit. Actually, starting today, I’m teaming up with my partner to transport people. We don’t have a name yet, but think of it like a taxi. And here’s the important part… Taxis are public transportation. Naturally, there’s never been a case of someone getting penalized for using a taxi during a Duel. …That’s what Ichinose or something—I forget the full name, some council member—said when they gave me the permit just now.”
“!?”
(The headmaster!? No way that’s a coincidence. Does that mean they saw this far ahead…?)
“—Anyway, no time to chat leisurely, right? Stop hesitating and hop on.”
Cutting off my thoughts, senpai, still straddling the bike, gestured impatiently behind her. After some hesitation, I reluctantly climbed onto the sleek black machine and put on the helmet she handed me. Without missing a beat—
“You’re on? Okay. Don’t hold back just because I’m a girl—grab my waist tight. I’m flooring it non-stop to the destination—!”
(W-w-waaaaaaahhh!?)
With an overly energetic declaration, the monster bike merged with the wind in an instant.
With this, even if our targets overlapped, there was no way Kugasaki could catch up—I felt certain of that. At the same time, I vowed never to get near anything like a thrill ride again.
“—Well, I’m off. Good luck with your Duel, Shinohara.”
“Th-thank you… very much.”
We really arrived at the destination at an insane speed.
Now I was at the very edge of District Four, in the area where the café Saionji had once summoned me to was located. It was a remote border near District Three, and for some reason, there wasn’t even a broadcast helicopter in sight. If I’d come by train, it would have taken considerably longer.
Checking the map again to confirm, I could see a low-rise building marked at my target coordinates. It seemed the card was on the third or fourth floor.
After searching for about a minute, guided by Himeji-san (who’d become much quieter but still offered occasional directions), I found it without much trouble. …But it was quite different from what I’d imagined. It was indeed a building, but likely abandoned mid-construction. Only the steel frame, typical of construction sites, extended up to about four floors, with blue tarps covering it in place of walls.
Slipping under the tarp to enter, I found a vast, empty cavity inside. The dim, stagnant air was due to the partial light-blocking and sealing. Looking up, I saw not a roof but a dirty blue tarp far above.
In other words, it was an open space from the ground floor to the top, with no floors or partitions.
I couldn’t tell if it was originally meant to be a tall hall-like structure or if the floors were supposed to be added later. But for now, it was just left in this state. The only noticeable feature was a temporary staircase attached to the right upon entering.
It was probably for construction use, but… to go up, this was my only option.
“…Right.”
So, with some hesitation, I stepped onto the staircase. A sharp clang echoed as my foot hit the aluminum steps, which gave an unsteady bounce. Trying not to focus on that, I climbed step by step toward where the card was.
“Urk… Kugasaki-sama has claimed his seventh card.”
There was no trace of composure left in Himeji-san’s occasional updates.
Suppressing the growing anxiety, I somehow made it to the third floor—but then.
“W-wait… no way.”
I was speechless. From below, I hadn’t noticed, but the staircase between the third and fourth floors was severely damaged. The handrail was still intact, narrowly avoiding collapse, but almost all the steps were gone. They must have corroded after long exposure to rain and wind.
—Still, the holographic card image wasn’t far if I looked closely.
So, I grabbed the handrail with my left hand and extended my right, holding the device, as far forward as I could. It was a precarious position, with my entire weight leaning on the left-side handrail. Keeping my footing on the landing, I slowly leaned my upper body forward, unsure when the steps might give way.
(Phew… calm down, calm down, me. This is the third floor. If I fall, it could be bad, but I’ve been careful so far, so there’s no way I’d actually fall. So, just stay calm, don’t fall—)
But—maybe that was what they call a death flag.
“—Huh?”
The moment my device overlapped with the holographic card, a deafening crash sounded.
Before I could realize it was the handrail breaking, I was already hurled into the void.
#
…My consciousness was hazy.
I think I managed to protect my head in the fall, but now my body ached all over. There was some bleeding from my arms and legs, and with the scattered remnants of the temporary staircase around, it looked like the scene of a gruesome crime.
Having dropped my device during the fall, I had no idea how much time had passed. Contacting Himeji would have been ideal, but unfortunately, my earpiece was gone too.
“Urgh…”
Though my head was still a bit foggy, I decided to check my body’s condition as best I could. …Luckily, nothing seemed broken. I might have a mild sprain or two, but at least I wasn’t completely immobilized.
“But that’s not the problem.”
The issue wasn’t my condition.
It was the Duel—how was my Duel with Kugasaki going now? I should have secured the 17 without issue, but even so, my current hand was only two cards. …Just two. If Kugasaki had already collected the other eighteen, my chance of victory would vanish right there.
“But… it’s too early to give up. I’m the only one using Number Management, and my current hand is 14 and 17. If I can just get a third card, I might even have a slight advantage—”
“—As if that’s possible, idiot.”
“…What?”
That curt denial interrupted my self-directed musing.
Raising my gaze slowly at the all-too-familiar voice, I saw Sarasa Saionji standing there, arms crossed, looking thoroughly displeased.
“…”
She glared at me for a while before finally uncrossing her arms and striding over. Standing in front of me, she placed her right hand on her hip, averted her eyes slightly, and spoke in a tone that sounded almost like an excuse.
“…Um, well… that’s not it.”
“? …Not what? What are you talking about?”
“Me being here. …You’re probably misunderstanding something, right? I didn’t come all the way here because I was worried about you. I didn’t call Urusaka-senpai for your sake, and I didn’t get anxious after receiving a reply from her saying, ‘It looks like a dangerous place, so maybe the suspicious guy should go check on him later.’ …And I’m not suspicious either. So—it’s just a coincidence. I was out for a stroll to kill time and happened to spot you.”
“…Huh. That’s quite the incredible coincidence.”
A wry smile escaped me. Somehow, it was characteristically “her” way of speaking.
Normally, contacting her during a Duel would be risky, but as I confirmed earlier, there were no broadcast helicopters in this area. Since Saionji approached without hesitation, it was safe to assume the area had been cleared of onlookers.
So.
“Hey, Saionji, do you know what time it is? How long was I out?”
“I don’t know when you passed out, but… if it’s since the Duel started, it’s been about thirty minutes. In terms of time, there’s still over an hour left in the Gathering Phase, but almost all the cards have been taken.”
“I see… Good, it’s not over yet. Then, Saionji, can you contact Urasaka-senpai and ask her to send the bike again?”
“…Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious? In this condition, walking is one thing, but running is tough. If I dawdle, Kugasaki will monopolize all the cards. I need to get back in the game as fast as possible—”
“Idiot!”
In that instant, Saionji cut me off with a sharp rebuke. She crouched down to meet my gaze, her ruby eyes glistening faintly with moisture. Those eyes, filled with unwavering resolve, stared straight at me.
“I already told you earlier, and you still don’t get it? Fine, I’ll say it as many times as needed—idiot, idiot, idiot! The place you need to go isn’t where the next card is; it’s the emergency room at a hospital! I can’t stick around due to my position, but I can at least call an ambulance. So, get yourself checked out as soon as possible!”
“…”
Her serious tone, devoid of any jest or taunt, made me catch my breath. It seemed Saionji was genuinely concerned about my condition, and inversely, that made me realize just how serious my situation must be. …Still.
“No way. What are you even saying, Saionji? I absolutely can’t lose. Going to a hospital isn’t an option right now.”
“It is an option! …Ugh, I didn’t think you’d be this stupid. Fine, I’ll make it crystal clear so even you can understand—surrender right here and now, Shinohara. There’s no way you can win from this point anyway.”
“Wha… Why would you say that?”
“Oh, are you mad? I’m just stating facts.”
“That’s not it. …If I lose, you’re screwed too, right? So shouldn’t this be the part where, even if I resist, you force me to get up?”
More out of genuine surprise than resentment, I posed that question to Saionji.
“Sarasa Saionji—the real ojousama has been kidnapped, hasn’t she? You’re acting as her double to get her back, right? You’ve been fighting for a whole year, haven’t you? So don’t just give up over something like me getting injured. Your lie isn’t just your lie anymore. You and I are accomplices. If you back out on your own, it screws me over.”
“Urk…”
“…I don’t want to lose—for my own goals, for that unknown ojousama, and maybe just a little bit for you too. I can’t end things here. So don’t get in my way with half-hearted resolve.”
“…Half-hearted, my—!”
Saionji’s voice trembled as she cut me off. She glared at me with teary eyes, as if holding back something she desperately wanted to say. Her fragile demeanor reminded me of Himeji-san’s words—about the lonely girl who had hidden even from the Saionji family, fighting alone with something precious to protect.
And—how much time passed after that?
Finally, as if steeling herself after much hesitation, Saionji nodded once and murmured in a voice so faint it seemed to fade away.
“…It’s a lie.”
“Huh? …Uh, what is?”
“Wh-why are you making me repeat it, Shinohara!? I finally mustered up the courage to say it!”
“Wait, is this my fault!? Sorry! But I really don’t get it, so please say it again!”
“F-fine—!”
Faced with my insistence, Saionji squeezed her eyes shut in resignation. Then, with a voice that sounded almost defiant, she shouted:
“Sarasa has been kidnapped, they say! But that’s all just my ‘lie’!!”
“────Huh?”
For a moment—or rather, for quite a while—I couldn’t grasp what I’d just heard at all.
“W-Wait, Saionji. What do you mean by that—exactly—”
“There’s no ‘exactly’ about it. Sarasa—the real Sarasa Saionji—hasn’t been kidnapped. She’s still attending high school on the mainland, safe and sound. Well, of course, she couldn’t keep the Saionji name, so I tweaked her family register a bit and lent it to her. …But in simple terms, that’s all there is to it.”
“No, ‘that’s all’—”
Desperately trying to make my muddled brain work at full speed, I managed to squeeze out a question.
“…Why? Why go to such lengths?”
“Because that was Sarasa’s wish. …Didn’t I mention it before? Sarasa was confined to the house until she graduated middle school, and she was supposed to participate in star-hunting as the ‘heir to the Saionji family’ in high school. …But I overheard something once. When she was half-asleep, Sarasa mumbled, ‘I wish I could’ve gone to a normal school…’”
“…………”
“Of course, Sarasa is a good girl, so she’d never say something like that normally. She accepts and follows the family’s policies… but her true feelings were different. Hey, you get it, right? Once you know something like that, you want to do something about it, don’t you? It wasn’t like she asked me to, but I wanted to surprise her and make her happy. …So I decided to ‘kidnap’ Sarasa. Well, more accurately, I made it look like she was kidnapped and secretly took her to the mainland.”
“…Against the Saionji family, all by yourself?”
“Yep, that’s right. Because I’m a genius. Besides, everyone in the Saionji family basically follows Masamune Saionji’s orders. No one would cooperate with a plan to let Sarasa escape.”
“Still, I mean… What about Himeji? She served the Saionji family too, right? You said you were close, so couldn’t you have at least teamed up with her—”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you idiot.”
It was the umpteenth “idiot” of the day. At first, it might have annoyed me, but if I thought of it as a quirky way of speaking, it almost seemed kind of cute. …No, probably not?
Still crouching, Saionji let out a soft sigh and continued.
“You know this, don’t you? The head of Academy Island, Masamune Saionji, is strict. If any plan that goes against the Saionji family’s policies were exposed, everyone involved would be punished.”
“Oh… I see.”
“That’s right. Besides, this lie has a time limit—it’ll automatically be exposed two years after Sarasa graduates. How could I drag Yuki into something like that? Listen, you probably don’t know this, but I love Yuki. She’s just as important to me as Sarasa—a dear friend. …So I can’t tell her. I can’t drag Yuki into this lie. Actually, I’m even deceiving Sarasa herself. I told her, ‘This transfer was decided by the Saionji family.’”
With a slightly self-mocking tone, Saionji confessed to her “lie.” …Behind the massive lie of being a stand-in for the young lady was another lie, even more fundamental—one she was never supposed to reveal to anyone.
And yet—despite that, Saionji looked at me, who had fallen silent, and declared with a tearful voice, “So, it’s fine. Just surrender, Hiroto. If my lie is exposed, Sarasa’s wish won’t come true, but as I just said, I can take all the blame myself. Yuki wasn’t involved in the kidnapping, and Sarasa didn’t know the truth either. And you—you won’t end up in a bad position either. After all, I’ve been posing as ‘Sarasa Saionji’ and holding the seven-star rank for the past year. If you just say you were deceived by a liar like me, you’ll be seen as nothing more than a victim. …So, please, stop being so stubborn and surrender, Shinohara. If you keep this up, you really might die someday!!”
Her words, repeated like screams.
Surely—surely, from the moment she started lying a year ago, she had anticipated this. She had prepared to take all the responsibility on herself if her lie was ever exposed for any reason. That’s why she kept even Himeji at a distance and protected this “second lie” all on her own.
And now, unbelievably, she was trying to protect even me.
Revealing the lie she could never speak of until now, at this timing, meant just that. If this duel ended as it was, both Saionji and I would fall together. Rather than let that happen, she wanted to shoulder everything herself—and now, with a face on the verge of tears, she was putting on a brave front.
“…………”
After listening to everything Saionji said, I lowered my gaze just slightly. Then, quietly, I began to think. Saionji’s true feelings. The complicated situation I’d been dragged into. And, on top of that, the small selfish wish Himeji had let slip. Taking all of that into account,
“Ah—then I get it.”
The words that slipped from my mouth were surprisingly simple.
“…………What?”
Seeing Saionji’s jaw drop in confusion—clearly not the answer she expected—I pressed on without hesitation.
“Remember when I first heard about your ‘lie,’ I told you it didn’t suit you, right? That wasn’t me teasing you. I genuinely thought so.”
“W-Wait. So, you knew from the start that it was a lie?”
“No, it’s not like I was totally sure or anything. But… waiting for the culprit to show up by posing as a stand-in because your best friend was kidnapped? Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think you’re that kind of person? I got dragged into this by accident, and you hit me with a duel out of nowhere on our first meeting. If there really had been a kidnapping, you would’ve poured all your effort into catching the culprit yourself.”
“Uh… Y-Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Staring into my eyes, Saionji nodded with unusual honesty. …The fact that she could agree so readily was pretty impressive, but then again, this was the girl who had deceived the Saionji family for a whole year. If she said she could do it, it was probably not impossible.
Her response made me oddly happy, and with a slight smile, I continued.
“Right? So I never believed the ‘kidnapping’ story for a second. …But if it’s for this reason, I get it. Deceiving both Academy Island and the Saionji family to fulfill your best friend’s wish—man, that’s one hell of a plan. You can’t call me an idiot anymore, you know?”
“W-What’s with that tone? You don’t have to say it like that. Sure, it might seem stupid to you, but to me, it’s important—”
“I know. …Listen, Saionji, when I say ‘crazy,’ it’s not a negative thing for me. It’s more like the highest praise. Yeah, it’s a ridiculous story, but I can understand it, I can empathize with it, I think it’s amazing, and above all, I like it. So—let me in on your lie too.”
“W-What…? What do you mean?”
With a look that said either she didn’t understand or she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Saionji pressed for clarification. In response, I smirked and made my declaration.
“I’m saying let’s keep this charade going a little longer.”
Feeling the switch flip inside me, I met her ruby eyes and continued.
“It’d be such a letdown to stop now after coming this far. I haven’t accomplished anything I came to Academy Island for, and you don’t really want to give up either. Besides, the reason you couldn’t reveal the ‘kidnapping’ lie was because you didn’t want to drag Himeji or the young lady into it, right? Then it’s fine. Dragging me in is no big deal. I’m not their friend or ally… but I can be your only accomplice. We’re both liars anyway, so let me carry your lie too.”
“B-But!”
“No ‘buts.’ …Don’t misunderstand. I’m not doing this for your sake. This situation—the ‘pseudo-seven-star’ status and the connection to the Saionji family, who control Academy Island behind the scenes—it’s actually pretty convenient for me. The risk if the lie is exposed is huge, but it’s still way better than being just another average student. The payoff is worth it.
So, you too—Akabane—you should use me. Don’t hold back. If you can’t handle it alone and are about to collapse, just throw half of it to me. Otherwise, it’s, well… unbalanced, isn’t it?”
“Shinohara…”
With a small gulp, Saionji looked at me, her eyes glistening just a little. In the silent ruins, with only the sound of our heartbeats, time seemed to stretch on. …Without words, it felt like we understood each other. As I slowly reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, she flinched for a moment, then closed her eyes resolutely and hesitantly leaned closer.
Closer, closer… Huh?
“Um… Saionji-san?”
“W-What?! W-What’s wrong?! I don’t get it, this is my first time doing this—”
“W-Wait, your first time? …No, but even if it’s your first time, wouldn’t you realize pretty quickly that you can’t stop bleeding with your eyes closed?”
“…Bleeding?”
“Yeah, bleeding… Look, we want to get back to the duel quickly. …Wait, if that’s not what you meant, then what’s this ‘first time’—”
“Sh-Shut up and let me treat you right now, you idiot Shinohara!!”
“W-Woah!”
For some reason, Saionji’s face turned bright red, and she shoved me, nearly worsening my injuries.
It was a few minutes later that Himeji arrived at the abandoned building, following the coordinates on her device.
“The current situation is… First, approximately forty minutes have passed since the duel began. During that time, Kugasaki-sama has collected a total of sixteen cards. Therefore, only two cards remain on the field—both of which are still unrevealed.”
Caught up in her somber tone, I fell silent for a moment. …But honestly, it wasn’t all that surprising. In fact, it’d be weirder if there were still room for optimism at this point.
“So, my hand is pretty much set at 17 and 14. Kugasaki’s hand is likely the top five cards, normally speaking. At this rate, I’ll lose fair and square, but… now, what to do from here?”
“Right. It’s pretty much impossible to go after the remaining cards in this situation. We need to come up with a turnaround strategy before the disclosure phase starts.”
“…? U-Um, wait a moment, please.”
As Saionji and I stood there, arms crossed and serious, Himeji hesitated before speaking up.
“You two… you’re not giving up yet, are you? Even though all support from Company has been blocked, and none of the plans we prepared in advance have worked… Do you really think you can win from this hopeless situation?”
“Of course.”
“…Ah…”
Seeing us answer in unison, Himeji’s emerald eyes widened slightly.
She froze for a while, but eventually, a soft, genuinely happy smile spread across her face.
“Hehe… I’m surprised. Very, very… I can’t even put it into words, I’m so surprised. Thank you, Master. For indulging my selfishness.”
“? What do you mean, Yuki, ‘selfishness’?”
“It’s nothing, Rina. Forget I said anything. …In that case, I’ll start thinking too. If my best friend and my master haven’t given up, but I alone throw in the towel, I’d be a disgrace as a maid.”
“S-Selfishness… Ugh, Yuki, really.”
Though Saionji grumbled, it was clear she was fighting back a smile.
Watching the two of them, I quietly turned my attention back to the screen on my device. Displayed there was a list of the abilities I’d brought into this duel: Display Bug, Numerical Management, and Luck, along with their detailed effects.
Actually, while Saionji was treating me, I’d come up with one strategy—but before that.
“…Hey, Saionji. I have a question. Is there an ability that can rewrite the rules of a duel? And if there is, is it well-known?”
“An ability that rewrites duel rules… Rule Information Manipulation, right? It exists, and it’s somewhat famous, but it’s probably not as versatile as you think. It can only change a few characters before overloading, and it’s a high-rank ability, six stars or above.”
“Oh, no, that part doesn’t matter. What’s important is just that it exists.”
“What…? / …Ah, could it be?”
While Saionji tilted her head in confusion, Himeji—perhaps naturally adept at cheating—showed signs of understanding almost immediately. Nodding to both of them, I began explaining my reversal strategy step by step.
Most likely, the key information was these three points: the existence of an ability that can rewrite rules, the fact that my abilities’ details haven’t been leaked to Kugasaki since my Display Bug was blocked by a defensive ability, and that I’m the “pseudo-seven-star.”
“Mm…”
As I explained, I could see Saionji’s expression grow more serious.
“That—well, it’s a gamble, but it might just be worth trying. …Hehe, but I’m surprised. You come up with some pretty crazy ideas, don’t you?”
“Ugh… S-Sorry about that.”
“Oh, wasn’t ‘crazy’ supposed to be your highest form of praise?”
“…No, being praised by you is actually kind of scary… Anyway, this won’t work as is. Display Bug only manipulates what’s shown on the device. So we need to expand—er, update—its effects a little. Hey, Himeji, if we add the function I just described, how much time would it take? Honestly, whether this works or not could be the deciding factor.”
“…Let’s see.”
Placing a hand to her lips, Himeji began calculating in her head. …Normally, abilities can’t be changed mid-duel, but “updates” that only alter the content are an exception. It was a tiny, last-resort seed for a reversal I’d planted as insurance.
And—after a few seconds, Himeji let out a soft breath and continued.
“Yes. If we mobilize all of Company’s resources, we should just barely make it in time for the disclosure phase… No, I misspoke. We will make it, no matter what.”
“…Thanks.”
“Not at all. …And, I’m sorry, Master.”
“Hm?”
“It seems… I’ve been underestimating your talent all this time.”
With a smile, she bowed gracefully, then turned away from me. She was likely about to contact Company. In her hand, she held her device.
As I watched her go, Saionji suddenly poked my cheek.
“Ow.”
“Huh? …What was that for?”
“Nothing? I just thought your gaze was getting a bit creepy. …Hey, are you sure this is okay? Like I said earlier, if you surrender now, I can take all the blame. The more you dig in your heels, the worse your position will get.”
“I know. But I’ve already decided to do this, so stop there. If my resolve wavers now, things will just get messy again.”
“Hmm, true, but…”
Her gaze wavered slightly. …Maybe, now that we’d finalized the strategy, she was feeling anxious again. After all, once we went any further, there’d be no turning back. If I stubbornly pushed forward and lost to Kugasaki in this duel, it would be the same as rendering her year-long lie meaningless.
“…Tch.”
But—no, precisely because of that, I—
“Relax, Akabane. No matter how bad the situation looks now, no matter how much it seems like we’re on the edge of a cliff from an outsider’s perspective… that’s all just superficial reality. Got it? We’re about to deceive the entire Academy Island. With a goal that insane—”
Meeting her clear ruby eyes, I flashed a defiant grin and declared,
“—how can we afford to fail against just one five-star opponent?”
#
“…How unfortunate. Truly unfortunate, Hiroto Shinohara.”
At the Fourth District General Athletics Field.
In the center of the venue, packed with over five thousand spectators, Kugasaki, clad in a jet-black cloak, spoke in an exaggerated tone.
“I suspected it was likely just a ‘fluke,’ but even so, since you once defeated that goddess, I was wary of you. And at the same time, I had expectations. A duel against someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the goddess—this is something I’ve been eagerly anticipating more than anyone else. …And yet, look at this.”
“…………”
Facing Kugasaki’s mocking words, I simply hung my head in silence.
My appearance—putting it mildly—was a wreck. Bandages were wrapped all over my body, and without Himeji’s support, I could barely stand. And it wasn’t just my outward state that was in shambles. The progress of the duel was equally disastrous.
Glancing at the projected screen on his device, Kugasaki let out a mocking chuckle.
“Do you see, seven-star? Right now, I hold five cards in my hand. In contrast, you have two. No matter how you look at it, you can’t reach the ‘three wins’ you need to victory… Tsk, tsk. This is exactly the situation I aimed for, but it’s almost anticlimactic how easily you fell into it. If you hadn’t been so fixated on my interference and had gone on the offensive with a Level 7 ability, the outcome might have been different.”
“…Yeah. You’re probably right. That would’ve been the best move.”
Of course, I’m not a real seven-star, so I couldn’t have done that—but there’s no point in saying that now.
“ Heh, in the end, it’s my strategy that triumphed. I never aimed for a straightforward victory to begin with. Given that my Numerical Management is at a lower level, I had no chance of winning with a fair fight. So, what’s the way to defeat a superior opponent in a duel? …It’s simple. Don’t let them stand on the same playing field.”
“Well, sure. Your game plan was flawless. Responding to this on the first try would be tough—maybe even impossible.”
“No? I wonder about that. I’ve pulled similar surprise attacks on the goddess about ten times, and you know the results as well as I do.”
“…Right.”
Biting back a bitter expression, I responded to his oddly proud statement. …Now that he mentioned it, Saionji had brought up the possibility of Exploration yesterday. The only reason she had to compromise was because I was a one-star, but normally, she could’ve handled this duel with ease.
“…Tch…”
As for Saionji herself, she was currently seated right at the front of the audience, staring intently at me.
Bearing the “goddess’s” gaze on my back, Kugasaki adjusted his glasses with a click.
“Well, enough of that. The only thing that matters is this one fact—that I defeated you. Understand? The strongest on Academy Island. …Heh. Though, that title will soon leave you.”
His sharp, mocking words felt like a death sentence. It wasn’t just about falling from seven-star status. Depending on Masamune Saionji’s decision, I could lose everything in the worst-case scenario.
As I remained silent and looked down, Kugasaki eventually let out a bored sigh.
“Hmph… So, what will you do, Shinohara? You have no chance of winning. Rather than dragging this out into a dull disclosure phase, I suggest you gracefully surrender. How about it?”
“…Yeah. You might be right.”
Muttering in a strained voice, I glanced at the screen in the audience seats. It displayed both Kugasaki’s and my hands—clear evidence of my “defeat.” With a self-deprecating look, I slid my finger across my device.
What I selected was the “discard command” for the cards.
Following my action, the first card vanished from my device. I applied the same command to the second card… and before the process even finished, I shut off the screen, as if to say I was done. At the same time, the screen in the venue went dark on my half.
“…There. That should do it, Kugasaki.”
“Ha… Heh, HAHAHA! Yes, perfect! With this… with this, I’ve won!!”
My action—discarding all my cards, which could only be seen as abandoning the duel—finally pushed Kugasaki over the edge. His triumphant declaration. His laughter, brimming with joy, pierced my mind directly, but I had no way to retort. …Next to me, I could see Himeji growing increasingly anxious about the time. “Hurry… hurry,” her faint whisper tickled my ear.
“—A-And now, as the referee, I’ll declare the outcome, nya.”
Once Kugasaki’s laughter had mostly subsided, Kazami, who had been quietly waiting, timidly spoke up. She gave me a brief, concerned look, but then shook her head vigorously and adjusted the microphone on her headset. Then,
“E-Everyone! Thank you so much for your patience, nya! There were some hiccups along the way—like the filming helicopter going out of control, the video feed glitching like crazy, and Shinohara-kun ending up wrapped in bandages, nearly causing a broadcast disaster—but anyway! The epic five-star vs. seven-star showdown has finally reached its grand conclusion!!”
To re-energize the crowd, Kazami raised her voice with forced cheer. She recapped the duel’s progress in a lively tone for a while, building up the tension before finally moving to announce the result.
“And sooo! The winner of Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game is—”
“…………”
Ignoring Kazami’s voice as if it were someone else’s problem, I kept my head down. …Once her call was made, the result of the duel would be final. There’d be no going back.
(We’re pretty much at our limit for stalling…)
Glancing at the time on my device, I muttered internally. Hurry… hurry. My feelings perfectly aligned with Himeji’s. It had been twenty-five minutes since the collection phase ended and we moved to this venue. Stretching the duel any further would be difficult.
Biting my lower lip and reaching for the earpiece in my right ear as if praying—that was the moment.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Hiro-kun! …Did we make it?!”
“W-Wait, hold on, referee!!”
“Kugasa—nya?!”
Amid a faint burst of static, Kagaya-san’s loud voice rang out, and I shouted to interrupt Kazami. Almost simultaneously, my device vibrated. An update completion notification—yes, we made it. Truly, just barely in time.
“…Phew…”
As Kazami, the audience, and Kugasaki all wore puzzled expressions, I stepped forward after a quick word to Himeji. No need for the defeated act anymore. With a smirk, I spoke.
“Hey, Kugasaki—do you know the end condition for Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game?”
“…? Are you mocking me? Of course I do. It’s three wins. More precisely, winning the majority in the maximum five rounds of the disclosure phase.”
“No, that’s the victory condition. I’m asking about the condition to end the duel.”
“End…?!”
Perhaps irritated by the interruption at a critical moment, Kugasaki furrowed his brow. He fell silent for a while, then slowly probed, “Hmm… If we’re talking purely about ending the duel, the requirement would be ‘both players losing their hands.’ After all, the winner is determined by the number of wins at that point. …Or rather, what are you planning, seven-star? Stalling for time when there’s no hope is just pathetic.”
“Stalling? …Ha, don’t talk nonsense now.”
That’s already over with—
Realizing my attitude had suddenly shifted, Kugasaki’s expression turned suspicious. Then, as if struck by a realization, he reached for his device. Following his action, the rules text for Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game appeared in full on the venue’s screen. Naturally, the “end condition” was included.
…But it was slightly different from what Kugasaki had just said.
It stated: When either player loses their hand, the disclosure phase ends, and the player with the most wins at that point is declared the winner of Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game.
“W-What is this?!”
The moment he read it, Kugasaki muttered in disbelief.
“When either player loses their hand, the duel ends…? That’s ridiculous. That would ruin my strategy. Tsk… What the hell is going on! The official rule should be when both players lose their hands, right?!”
“‘Should be’ or not, this is how it is now. Either your memory’s wrong, or someone tampered with it.”
“…What?! Th-Then, don’t tell me—you used Rule Information Manipulation?!”
At the same moment Kugasaki’s voice, drained of color, rang out in a scream, the entire venue erupted in a massive uproar. …Rule Information Manipulation. That was the ability Saionji had told me about—the one that could “change the rules.” And indeed, if it were that powerful, it could turn this situation around.
Feeling the gallery’s doubt shift into excitement, I let out a quiet chuckle.
“Enjoyed your brief taste of victory, Kugasaki? With the rules like this, the disclosure phase ends the moment I discard my hand. We compare the number of wins at that point, so your hand is worthless now. The score is 0-0, even. …Well then, let’s start over and have a rematch, Kugasaki. I’m finally getting into this.”
“Y-You… argh!!”
Clearly unprepared for this counter, Kugasaki’s face twisted in rage.
“Don’t mess with me… Don’t mess with me, don’t mess with me!! The main battlefield of Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game is the collection phase! You and I both agreed on that, and I won the battle of wits in the collection phase! So why does it have to be overturned now…?!”
“Well, that’s simple. You underestimated the disclosure phase. Sure, the collection phase is important, but it’s not the only thing that decides the outcome.”
“Y-You smug piece of trash!!!”
Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Kugasaki flung his cloak dramatically and roared. …But that reaction was only natural. After all, my declaration essentially meant, “No matter how many times we try, I can force at least a draw.” The power dynamic had flipped without him noticing.
Kugasaki’s face twitched for a while longer, but then, for just a moment, he glanced toward Saionji in the audience seats. To him, she was an absolute presence—not the “Empress,” but the “goddess.” …Perhaps he was reminded of the condition that losing to me would mean he could never challenge her again. Flipping his cloak once more, Kugasaki’s glasses glinted as he grinned widely and spoke.
“…Heh. Have you forgotten, Academy Island’s strongest? It’s true I’m frustrated to have been outmaneuvered, but I have Emergency Mobilization. If we’re going for a rematch, I can just change the members I mobilize—that’s all. So, no matter how many times we do this, a draw is out of the question.”
With a voice brimming with confidence, Kugasaki declared this. …Ah, there it was—the true strength of five-star Seiran Kugasaki. A master of three hundred strategies, he had no blind spots.
“Heh… HAHAHA, very well! I don’t enjoy tormenting the injured, but backing down quietly after being pushed this far is even more against my principles! I’ll use you to sharpen my skills, seven-star!! Become the foundation for my rise—!!”
With a flourish, accompanied by a gust of wind from his †Ebony Wings† effect, Kugasaki decisively discarded all his cards. A clear sign he was accepting my challenge. Thus, everything was reset, and everyone assumed we were moving to a rematch… or so they thought.
(Ah… Thank goodness.)
As I stared blankly at the scene, I let out a deep, relieved sigh. Next to me, Himeji, who was supporting my body, inhaled sharply despite her expressionless face, while at the edge of my vision, Saionji looked utterly stunned, her mouth agape as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“…What? What’s wrong, Hiroto Shinohara?”
Casting a suspicious glance at my sudden silence, Kugasaki questioned me. In response, I suppressed the laugh threatening to bubble up from my throat and pointed straight at the screen.
“What’s wrong? Nothing’s wrong. …With this, I’ve won.”
“…What?”
“Pay attention to your opponent’s actions, Kugasaki. Actually, I only discarded one card just now—unlike you, who threw away all five without hesitation.”
In that instant, the screen, which had been dark, lit up again, displaying my hand for the first time in minutes. There, clearly, one card remained. …Yes, that’s right. From the start, I’d only discarded one card. Right before approving the discard command for the second, I’d shut off my device, making it look as if I’d lost all my cards.
“T-That’s ridiculous—!!?”
Stunned by the surreal sight, Kugasaki froze. After a moment, he snapped back to reality and slashed the air with his right hand.
“B-But… You rewrote the rules with Rule Information Manipulation, didn’t you?! My hand is already at zero cards. No matter how many you kept, it won’t affect the score at all! You dimwit, don’t you even understand that?!”
“Rewrote the rules, huh? …No, sorry, but I never agreed to anything like that. That was your assumption—got it? What I did wasn’t changing the rules. I just manipulated the display to make it look that way.”
“────What?!”
Letting out a scream like a dying animal, Kugasaki finally fell silent.
Yes—because, to begin with, there’s no way a one-star like me could interfere with the rules. What I used was Display Bug, updated to also affect the screen display, and all I did was change two characters in the rule text that was shown. It was just a visual trick; the rules themselves never actually changed.
But the fact that I—at least on the system—was a seven-star worked as a misdirection. Of course, Rule Information Manipulation would be a fitting trump card for a seven-star. If you’re supposedly the “strongest,” it’s only natural to have something like that up your sleeve.
…And so, Kugasaki misunderstood.
Even though the rules hadn’t actually changed—that the duel wouldn’t end until both of us lost our hands—he fell for my provocation and discarded his cards.
“T-Then… from the start, it was all an act? You made me think I had the upper hand, made it look like you were giving up, and even bluffed about having a reversal ability…? In terms of strategy quality and ability composition, I should have been superior. And yet, you turned it all around with just acting?”
“Come on, that sounds bad. Call it ‘witty improvisation.’ …Listen, Kugasaki. Your downfall was underestimating me. Because you dominated the collection phase, you looked down on me. That’s why you couldn’t believe I was still fighting to win.”
“…Is that so… I let my guard down. Me…”
“Yeah, that’s right. If you’re bitter, reflect on it to death later. —Anyway, let’s do this again. In the Myriad Twenty-Seven Style Game disclosure phase, I’ll play the 17. I won’t use anything like Numerical Management. …So? You don’t have any cards left, do you?”
Kugasaki, now hanging his head in defeat. His silence, in this context, was the same as affirmation.
“So, like I said, that makes it my win—though, to be honest, this was a duel I was always going to win.”
The moment I said that and smirked, the air in the arena fell silent for a split second. Soon after, whispers began to trickle out. Though I couldn’t hear her voice from here, Saionji in the audience seats looked as if she might cry, her cherry-blossom lips trembling.
And then, in the next moment, a flood of roaring cheers filled the venue—
At the same time, Himeji’s emotional, raspy voice gently brushed my eardrums, and the tension that had been holding me together snapped. I staggered and lost consciousness.
“Well done, Master. …You were cool,” she said.
Teach Me, Himeji-san — Part ③
What are the abilities used in duels?
Abilities play a major role in determining the outcome of duels. You can set up to three abilities per duel, and they are broadly categorized into three types: offensive, defensive, and support.
Since the effectiveness of an ability often depends on how it’s combined with others, mind games and strategic planning can heavily influence the result of a duel.
As such, abilities are a critical element in battle.
Note: The protagonist can only use Level 1 abilities.
—
Types of Abilities
① Offensive Abilities
Used to execute your own tactics or interfere with your opponent’s actions.
Examples: Acceleration, Command Override, Immunity Penetration, Coordinate Manipulation, Display Bug, Creation: EX.
—
② Defensive Abilities
Used to avoid interference from your opponent.
They are fewer in number compared to offensive and support abilities, but can be very powerful when used effectively.
Examples: Interference Nullification, Reflection, Special Barrier
—
③ Support Abilities
Provide support by directly modifying duel records or assisting offensive abilities.
Examples: Value Adjustment, Safety Equipment, Emergency Mobilization, Good Luck, Contract Data Manipulation
—
Ability Level
The level of an ability changes depending on the user’s rank. Naturally, higher-ranked individuals can use stronger abilities.
—
Standard Abilities
These are general-purpose abilities that are commonly used within the school.
They’re safe to use and don’t raise any red flags, though their power level may be somewhat lower.
—
Illegal Abilities
These are abilities that are forbidden within the school and are not allowed to be possessed or used. Using them could lead to serious consequences if caught… But, um… really? Me? Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.
They’ll never catch me.
