"Are you planning to run away?" Illya asked, tugging on Jiang You's arm. She had been eagerly anticipating this moment since he first appeared, and she refused to let him go this time. He still hadn't fulfilled his promise to her, and even if she risked losing in the Shadow Game, Illya was determined to have this final duel. Otherwise, Jiang You might just slip away.
If he could avoid it, Jiang You really didn't want to face Illya in a Shadow Game. If he won, their near-max affection would likely plummet beyond recovery. But if he lost, he had no idea how restrictive the Shadow Game's penalties for players might be. It would be absurd if a simple mistake crippled him.
Jiang You had hoped this series of battles would prove his bond with Illya, but it seemed to have had little effect.
"You know my Deck has some... unfair cards, right?"
But now that their eyes had met, the duel was inevitable. Jiang You accepted Illya's invitation to the Shadow Game.
"Don't you dare cry when you lose."
"Who's going to cry! I'm your Master, and I have all the same cards you do!"
Illya was secretly relieved that she had signed a contract with Jiang You beforehand, ensuring they would start on equal footing.
Despite her bravado, Jiang You's actual combat strategy relied on cards like Romulus Quirinus and Transcending Dimensions Arrival, whose absurdly powerful effects were practically impossible to draw reliably without using Fate's Draw. He had included them primarily to thin his deck, effectively reducing his 50-plus-card deck to playing more like a 40-card one.
However, a problem had indeed emerged.
Illya stared at her deck, frustrated. She wanted to add Jiang You's cards, but she couldn't find any of them. Her cheeks puffed up in anger. "Caster! Are you cheating? Why don't I have any of those cards?!"
Jiang You shuffled through his own deck. The cards were still there. He was certain they had been present when Illya had controlled his deck earlier. But now that they were Duel opponents, the cards that should have been shared between them had mysteriously vanished from Illya's hand.
Jiang You figured it was probably due to some player-specific privilege. He'd always wondered why Atrum, with such a terrible deck, never used Jiang You's cards. Now it seemed obvious: Atrum simply didn't have access to them or couldn't draw them.
After all, Jiang You had never failed to draw the Hundred Faces card whenever he wanted it. This game mechanic was quite intriguing; Bond seemed to partially replicate the effect of Fate's Draw.
"For various reasons," Jiang You replied.
He couldn't exactly tell Illya that as an NPC, she had different authority levels, and that he was limiting himself to increase her Affection. "Don't worry, you can't use those cards, and neither will I. But you know I hardly have any cards of my own anyway. So in our duel, I'll only use Hassan's deck."
"You two are really close," Illya remarked.
During the Fourth Holy Grail War, Jiang You seemed perfectly happy using me, Illya thought. Now he seems inseparable from Hassan. Especially Serenity—there's something unsettling about the way that seemingly delicate Hassan gazes at Jiang You. "I'm not that petty," she continued. "Your skill is part of your strength. By the way, I'll let you use the Einzbern deck too."
Worried that her intentions might be too obvious, Illya quickly added, "Of course, to be fair, you can also use Minamoto no Raikou's deck."
"Minamoto no Raikou's deck?" Jiang You's eyes lit up. He eagerly pulled out his Raikou-related cards and began flipping through them. "Come to think of it, Shuten Dōji is also an Assassin, right? Let me check... Ah, her Star Rank is too high. I thought she might synergize well with the Hassans. What a shame."
And her card art is so beautiful, Jiang You thought wistfully. If I could, I'd love to add her to my collection. But with Minamoto no Raikou's Affection towards me seemingly in the negatives, keeping her permanently seems impossible. Jiang You's quest to expand his deck was proving to be a long and arduous one.
"Just to be clear," Illya said before the Shadow Game began, reiterating the stakes once more. "If you lose, you'll stay with me forever, serving only as my servant. And you must never lie to me again!"
Among the conditions for Shadow Games, this was arguably the gentlest imaginable.
In the Shadow Game, the opposing player could propose equivalent conditions. Jiang You had originally intended to play without any conditions, but the rules forbade it. "Then I'll request the same, except for the 'sole servant' thing, of course."
Jiang You glanced at Minamoto no Raikou, who was radiating a murderous aura. If this continued, her Spirit Origin might invert, transforming her into Ugly Gozen. While that outcome would be highly amusing, Illya would likely explode in frustration. "In exchange, Illya will help me out and convince Raikou to acknowledge me."
"Isn't that just a power grab?" Rin Tohsaka retorted, rolling her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time. "Does it even matter who wins or loses?" She flashed them an internationally recognized gesture of camaraderie. "So we're just pawns in your little game, huh?"
Rin's blunt assessment caused Illya to blush crimson, while Sakura Matou managed a strained smile.
"Anyway, let the Duel begin! I'll attack first!" To cut off Rin's tirade, Illya swiftly initiated her turn.
Illya's Life Points: 4000
Jiang You's Life Points: 4000
"First, I activate the Spell Card 'Unfulfilled Promise,' sending 'Kiritsugu Emiya' from my hand to the Graveyard. I then search my Deck for 'Castle of Snow' and add it to my hand. Kiritsugu Emiya's effect allows me to add an 'Origin Bullet' to my hand!"
This was a classic opening move for an Einzbern Deck: a precise two-for-two card exchange.
"I activate the Field Spell Card 'Castle of Snow'!"
A snow-covered castle rose from the ground, a scene intimately familiar to Illya. It was the place where she had spent nearly a decade alone, heartbroken by Kiritsugu Emiya's absence. But since that person had appeared, she had dared to hope again.
Of course, there was also Minamoto no Raikou. Illya turned to the servant, whose maternal aura had enveloped her during this time. With the Holy Grail War no longer necessary, she had ample time to create future memories with those she cherished—whether people or servants.
Sensing Illya's gaze, Raikou offered a warm smile. She understood the depths of Illya's heart, a realization that filled her with immense satisfaction. She could barely restrain herself from drawing her blade and exploding Jiang You on the spot.
"'Castle of Snow's' effect allows me to search my Deck for 'Illya'! 'Illya's' effect lets me Special Summon myself to the field in Attack Position!"
Illya: Attack Power 1500
"Should I summon Minamoto no Raikou, or Synchro Summon Ilya (Dress of Heaven) myself?"
Since acquiring Minamoto no Raikou, Illya's strategic options had expanded. Of course, having Hercules would have been even better; his ability to Special Summon himself from the Graveyard made him a more fitting Berserker for her. Unfortunately, due to Jiang You's interference, Illya's Berserker summoning had encountered some minor complications.
Both duelists were fully aware of each other's card effects, rendering any further information exchange unnecessary. Illya nodded. "Naturally, I'll summon Minamoto no Raikou! I release myself to Special Summon her to the field!"
Purple lightning crackled as Minamoto no Raikou made her dramatic entrance.
Minamoto no Raikou: Attack Power 3000
"Illya, leave this to Mama. I'll ensure your victory in this Duel."
Raikou drew her katana, pointing it at Jiang You. She had no intention of letting Illya be constrained by him, nor any interest in improving relations with him.
"So you abandoned summoning the more defensively capable Dress of Heaven state in favor of the effectless Minamoto no Raikou. You must have Endless Martial Prowess in your hand, right?"
Minamoto no Raikou, a completely blank slate, had only her Attack Power to her advantage. Jiang You knew Illya must have a trump card up her sleeve.
"Knowing each other so well has its drawbacks," Jiang You muttered, "but the Minamoto no Raikou card has appeared so many times now, it doesn't matter."
Illya squeezed one of her cards, revealing it to be Endless Martial Prowess.
"But I never said I was giving up on summoning my own Dress of Heaven form! With my entire family helping me this time, Jiang You, you're doomed! I Normal Summon Sella!"
Identical in appearance to Leysritt but with more expressive features and a flatter chest, the Einzbern homunculus maid Sella stepped onto the battlefield for the first time. With this, both of Illya's Einzbern maids had finally made their debut.
Sella
2-Star Attack Power: 1000
"Miss Illya," Sella bowed to her mistress before turning her attention to Jiang You. "You must be the Caster Jiang You that Miss Illya mentioned, the Servant with the face of a man from the great eastern kingdom. What exactly is happening here?"
Sella was puzzled. According to Illya, she and Jiang You were quite close, so there shouldn't be any hostility between them.
Rin Tohsaka, never one to miss a chance for drama, eagerly explained the situation to Sella.
Sella watched the two of them, stifling a laugh behind her hand. "Mr. Jiang You, please continue to look after Miss Illya."
Jiang You nodded, seizing this opportunity to improve his Affection with her.
"Sella, shut up!" Illya interrupted, flustered.
"Sella's effect activates upon a successful summon: I can search my Deck for an 'Einzbern' Servant with four or fewer stars and add it to my hand. I'll retrieve Leysritt!"
"Leysritt's effect: By discarding her from my hand, I can Special Summon a 'Dress of Heaven' from my Deck in Defense Position!"
The 'Dress of Heaven' had a Defense Power of 1200.
"Sella is also an 'Einzbern' Servant!" Illya raised her hand, the conditions met.
"I'm Tuning Sella with Dress of Heaven! 4 + 2 = 6! Special Summon Ilya (Dress of Heaven)!"
Clad in a pristine white Mystic Code, Illya slowly descended amidst a radiant glow.
Ilya (Dress of Heaven)
Attack Power: 2500 → 3000
"Finally, I'll set two cards face-down in my back row and end my turn!"
Ilya swiftly completed her actions, passing the turn to Jiang You.
"Why didn't she activate the revival effect of her Dress of Heaven Mode?" Jiang You wondered, thinking he could still summon another servant to the field.
"Aren't you supposed to be wary of that Sesshouin woman?" Ilya scrutinized Jiang You, recalling how his eyes had practically popped out of his head when he'd first seen her, as if he were about to drool.
"You seem awfully fond of her. Do you really like that wanton look of hers?"
"That's unfair!" Jiang You protested, waving his hands defensively. "It's not just me—anyone would be captivated by her effect. Anyway, my turn. Draw!"