As Sakura Matou issued her challenge, the Duel Space slowly materialized. Now that she no longer needed to conceal her identity, Hundred Faces began broadcasting the duel.
Rin Tohsaka: 4000 LP
Sakura Matou: 4000 LP
"As the younger sister, I should defer to you. Rin, you may go first."
Sakura Matou, of course, had her own hidden agenda. Many of her servants' effects could only be activated if her opponent had a servant on the field, giving her a slight advantage by going second.
"Sakura, you haven't seen my full deck yet, have you?" Rin Tohsaka asked.
Rin's deck had only been fully revealed during her duel against Hundred-Faced Hassan on the second day of the Holy Grail War. Since Jiang You had started the duel tournament, she hadn't exposed it much to the other competitors.
"My deck can establish a life point advantage even before the battle phase. Going second will put you at a severe disadvantage. Sakura, are you absolutely sure about this?"
Sakura nodded firmly. Rin said nothing more and began her turn.
"First, I activate 'Maintaining Elegance'! I banish the top ten cards of my deck face-down, then draw two cards!"
"Father, you've arrived just in time! Next, I normal summon 'Tokiomi Tohsaka'!"
Tokiomi Tohsaka: ATK 1200
"Tokiomi's effect adds a 'Jewel' magic card to my hand. I choose 'Cursed Black Gem Magecraft'!"
An elegant but weary middle-aged man materialized in the duel zone.
"Rin, is our opponent... Sakura?"
Tokiomi Tohsaka gazed at his youngest daughter, whom he had given away, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and relief. He could see that Sakura had begun to emerge from the shadows, now radiating a faint spark of vitality.
"You've grown so much," he murmured.
Sakura Matou offered her father a gentle smile. She understood his decision, though she couldn't deny harboring some resentment. She simply murmured "Father" without elaborating.
Rin Tohsaka swiftly broke the awkward silence. "Next, I activate my hand card's effect! By sending one 'Jewel' Magic card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon myself from my hand!"
[Rin Tohsaka: ATK 1200]
"It begins, Sakura. If it hurts too much, just tell your big sister."
Rin reminded her that the duel would cause real pain. Her deck could deal consistent chip damage.
"I'll move slowly for your sake."
But pain was something Sakura had long grown used to. She nodded, signaling Rin to proceed.
"Cursed Black Gem Magecraft – I pay 2000 LP to choose three Gem Spells from my deck (excluding Black Gem Magecraft). I add one to my hand, send the other two to the Graveyard!"
Rin LP: 4000 → 2000 → 2500Sakura LP: 4000 → 3500
"I'll add Inherited Gem Necklace. Its effect lets me Special Summon a Level 5 or lower Archer from my deck. Come, Hero of Justice – Emiya!"
Emiya – ATK: 2000
Rin LP: 2500 → 3000Sakura LP: 3500 → 3000
"Rin, just to be clear—'Hero of Justice' has nothing to do with me. I'm just an executioner."
Archer clarified again that he was a pragmatist and not some righteous figure.
"But the text on your Spell Card says otherwise."
Rin bluntly exposed his hypocrisy.
"Emiya's effect: Once per turn, discard one card to equip a Weapon from the deck to himself. I choose Durandal!"
Emiya ATK: 2000 → 2500
"Third time! Brilliant Sapphire Magecraft – shuffle three Gem Spells from the Graveyard into the deck, then draw one card!"
Rin LP: 3000 → 3500
Sakura LP: 3000 → 2500
"Finally, I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Rin Tohsaka had already dealt 1500 Life Point damage to Sakura Matou on her first turn. If Sakura had any cards on the field, Archer could easily inflict 2000 direct damage by tributing Caladbolg II. In a 4000 Life Point game, this kind of early pressure was undeniably strong.
"My turn. Draw!"
"Then it's my turn! Draw!"
Sakura began her turn.
"Rider, I'll be troubling your sisters. I Normal Summon Stheno. When she's summoned, I can search my deck for a Gorgon Servant!"
Stheno – ATK: 800
The eternal maiden goddess descended.
Stheno turned toward her summoner, Matou Sakura.
"Little girl, you're Medusa's Master, aren't you? You two have similar auras… like someone who looks easy to bully. Don't be shy—that's a compliment. I could treat you like my little sister too."
"Now, go ahead and summon Euryale as well. She wants to meet you."
Stheno urged Sakura to summon her other sister.
"I add Euryale to my hand. Since she was not drawn, she can be Special Summoned!"
An identical-looking girl descended onto the battlefield.
Euryale – ATK: 1200
"We meet again," said Stheno. "So many times—almost like a dream."
"Yes, as long as that Servant exists, we'll have many more chances. We must thank him well."
Seeing Sakura wait patiently, Stheno kindly nudged her: "You're Sakura, right? Don't mind us—go ahead with your duel."
"Euryale's effect – when Special Summoned, I can add a Gorgon Spell from my deck to my hand. I choose Temple of Gorgon!"
"I activate the Field Spell: Temple of Gorgon! This card cannot be targeted. While it's on the field, all my Gorgon Servants gain 500 ATK!"
Stheno ATK: 800 → 1300Euryale ATK: 1200 → 1700
A gloomy stone temple slowly rose, filled with dozens of statues frozen in various poses.
"Temple of Gorgon has another effect: When a Gorgon Servant destroys an enemy by battle or effect, that Servant isn't sent to the Graveyard. Instead, it becomes a Continuous Spell in my Spell/Trap Zone, face-up. If Temple of Gorgon leaves the field, those cards are sent to the Graveyard."
"Rather than calling it our temple, it's more accurate to call it Medusa's. It's all stone."