The monster that symbolized Chazz Princeton, mirroring his every motion, stood tall on the field.
"Level 10!" Bastion Misawa shielded his face from the gusts of wind and crackling thunder, forced back by the sheer force of Duel Energy that had materialized into reality. Even Zane had to take a step back.
Under Chazz's roaring aura, the mighty Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 had fully manifested.
"The effect of Armed Dragon Thunder LV10!" Chazz raised a hand dramatically. "Since it was Special Summoned by the effect of an 'Armed Dragon' monster, it gains the following effects!"
He extended one finger.
"One: If this card's ATK reaches 1, its name becomes Armed Dragon LV10!"
Then clenched his fist.
"Ten: If its ATK reaches 10, its control cannot be changed!"
He swept his coat aside with a grin.
"Hundred: If its ATK reaches 100, it can't be destroyed by battle!"
He clasped his fists together, eyes gleaming.
"Thousand: If its ATK reaches 1000, once per opponent's turn, I can send one card from my hand to the Graveyard, target one card on the field, destroy it, and this monster gains 1000 ATK!"
"And finally…" he brushed a hand through his hair, smirking, "Ten Thousand! If this card's ATK reaches 10,000 or more, once per turn, destroy all other cards on the field!"
"This is my brand-new ace, my brand-new soul! The pride of Chazz-sama!"
He burst into wild laughter, cape flaring. Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 mirrored him perfectly, crossing its arms as lightning erupted from its chest like a storm given form.
The laughter echoed through the Duel Dome until it faded into an awkward silence. When his teammates stared back blankly, Chazz coughed twice and hurriedly continued:
"Ahem...right, moving on! The effect of Armed Dragon Thunder LV5! If this card is sent to the GY by a Dragon monster's effect, I can add one Level 5 or higher Armed Dragon from my Deck to my hand! I add my second Armed Dragon Thunder LV7!"
"That's a lot, Chazz. Where did you even get so many?" Bastion asked, half in awe, half in disbelief.
LV-series monsters were notoriously rare. Owning a complete Armed Dragon Thunder set was impressive enough, but two sets?
Chazz paused, then glanced at Armed Dragon LV10. The dragon roared, and he laughed again.
"Three cards, six cards, still not enough for 10,000!"
Everyone blinked, exchanging puzzled looks.
"I Set two cards," Chazz declared. "Your turn, Hikaru."
"Two destruction effects every turn…" Hikaru drew a card and exhaled slowly.
Even compared to his Duel with Zane, this was more difficult. One Shaddoll Schism wasn't enough to hold him back. Now, the difference between six cards in hand and two possible destructions per turn was crushing.
Still, what he drew wasn't bad.
"Then I'll Normal Summon...uh, what was it again… right." He placed a card onto his Duel Disk. "Keeper of the dragon magic!"
A masked warrior, resembling Hikaru himself in both uniform and bearing, materialized on the field.
Keeper of the dragon magic — Level 4 / DARK / Dragon / ATK 1800.
Chazz frowned deeply.
The difference between destruction and negation was glaring here. If he were using Light and Darkness Dragon right now, he'd have instantly negated and destroyed the monster's effect.
"By sending Fusion Replacement from my hand to the GY, I activate Keeper of the Dragon Magic's effect, add one Normal Spell Card with 'Fusion' in its name from my Deck to my hand!"
"Hmm… Fusion Deployment can't be used right now, and he already used Fusion Substitute," Chazz muttered, easing slightly.
So that should mean...
He froze, eyes widening.
"Chazz," Hikaru said calmly, "the possibilities of Fusion are endless."
With a wave of his hand, hundreds of holographic data cards, his Deck's Spell lineup, materialized in the air like a glowing wall. He flicked his fingers through the digital list, scrolling rapidly until he stopped at one card.
"The card I choose is the Normal Spell, Easy Fusion!"
At his touch, the projection condensed into a solid card before him.
He took Easy Fusion and added it to his hand, but he didn't activate it yet. Instead, he smiled.
"Now, I activate Keeper of the dragon magic's second effect!"
"Huh?" A murmur went through the spectators.
"Second effect…?" Chazz frowned.
That card had been personally designed by Pegasus and gifted to Hikaru; no one knew its full text. They only knew it could search Fusion Spells, he'd shown that before in his Duel against Kaiser.
And now;
"You can activate this effect by revealing one Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck to your opponent," Hikaru explained. "Then Special Summon one Fusion Material monster listed on that Fusion Monster from your Graveyard, in face-down Defense Position!"
He opened his Extra Deck. One card slid out and glowed across the field.
"It's him again!"
"Haha, he's showing it again!"
"As expected."
Chazz exhaled sharply.
He knew his protection had failed yet again.
"Reveal Chimeratech Fortress Dragon! Special Summon a monster in face-down Defense Position!"
A student from the Fusion Department immediately jumped up in excitement.
"Ah! I get it! I know this one! Fusion Summons can even use face-down monsters as materials, unlike Synchro or Xyz!"
"Exactly!" another chimed in. "That means even a face-down Cyber Dragon can become Chimeratech Fortress Dragon!"
Everyone in the hall nodded in unison, this was something their department head, Hikaru Amagi, had emphasized repeatedly.
Naturally, Chazz knew this rule even better.
"I activate Armed Dragon Thunder LV10's effect! By sending Armed Dragon Thunder LV7 from my hand to the Graveyard, I destroy your Cyber Dragon!"
Thunder flared its wings, lightning gathering in its claws before it hurled a massive bolt downward. The face-down monster shattered under the strike.
"The effect of Armed Dragon Thunder LV7! When sent to the Graveyard by a Dragon monster's effect, I can add Pile Armed Dragon from my Deck to my hand! And LV10 gains 1000 ATK!"
Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 – ATK: 3000 → 4000.
"Then I pay 1000 Life Points to activate Easy Fusion! I Fusion Summon Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"
Hikaru Amagi LP: 3200 → 2200
Thousand-Eyes Restrict – Level 1 / DARK / Spellcaster / ATK 0.
"Next, I activate my Continuous Trap Card, XYZ-Extreme Cannon! By discarding Pile Armed Dragon and one Ojama monster, I destroy your Thousand-Eyes Restrict and Keeper of Dragon Magic!"
The cannon roared to life once more. Both monsters shattered in a burst of blue energy.
"Amazing…" Misawa murmured.
"If that were me, being destroyed twice last turn and twice again this turn, I wouldn't be able to recover. But Hikaru's still standing, and expanding his field."
Zane nodded slightly. "He's fighting uphill, but he's adapting."
Hikaru extended a hand over his Duel Disk.
"The effect of Fusion Substitute in my Graveyard, banish it, then draw one card after returning El Shaddoll Construct to my Extra Deck!"
The disk shuffled briefly, then produced a new card.
"Next, I activate the Spell Shaddoll Fusion! Since you control XYZ-Dragon Cannon, I can use materials directly from my Deck!"
He selected two cards.
"I send Shaddoll Falco and Mirage Swordsman to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon, El Shaddoll Grysta!"
A humanoid Construct formed from blazing red threads, its gem-core pulsing with molten light.
El Shaddoll Grysta – Level 7 / Fire / Rock / ATK 2450.
"The effect of Shaddoll Falco! When sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, I can Special Summon it face-down in Defense Position!"
A small falcon spirit, cloaked in purple, landed face-down beside Construct.
"Wait," Jesse frowned. "He recovered Construct, but why didn't he summon Nephilim instead? She's stronger!"
"Stat-wise, yes," Bastion agreed, "but Flame Swordsman has a built-in effect, during damage calculation, both battling monsters are destroyed, and if a FIRE Fusion Monster is destroyed, he can Special Summon himself back from the Graveyard. It's defense layered as offense."
"Ahh… so it's a setup."
Zane smiled knowingly.
"Not defense, preparation. He plans to let Construct fall in battle, trigger Flame Swordsman's revival, and then use Shaddoll Schism next turn to bring back El Shaddoll Winda. That'll lock Chazz out of Special Summons."
Everyone's eyes widened.
"Oh!"
It all clicked at once.
Rather than cling to a single Nephilim vulnerable to destruction, Hikaru was building a loop of recovery, control, and recursion.
"Then…" Hikaru raised a card dramatically.
"I activate the Spell Card Spiral Fusion!"
"Spiral Fusion?"
"Wait, isn't that from the Gaia archetype?"
"Exactly," Hikaru confirmed. "This card Fusion Summons a Dragon Fusion Monster using monsters from my hand or field!"
He selected his next materials.
"I fuse Gaia the Magical Knight, whose name is treated as Dark Knight Gaia, and Curse of Dragon, the Cursed Dragon!"
The two cards spun together, forming a roaring cyclone of magic energy.
"Fusion Summon! Descend, Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons!"
A crimson knight astride a sleek, emerald-scaled dragon descended in a spiral of wind and light, blade poised toward the sky.
Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons – Level 7 / WIND / Dragon / ATK 2600.
"Ah! That's one of the Duel King's legendary ace monsters!"
"It's Gaia!? I haven't seen that card in ages!"
The audience erupted into excited chatter. Even Kaiba's normally calm expression faltered as the spirit materialized before him.
'That monster… could it really be… ?'
Hikaru raised his Duel Disk high.
"The effect of Spiral Fusion! If Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons was Fusion Summoned by this card, it gains 2600 ATK and can attack monsters twice during each Battle Phase!
And while it's in the Monster Zone, it's treated as Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons!"
"What!?"
"It gains 2600 ATK and can attack twice!?"
Wind howled across the airship as the knight's power surged, its dragon steed roared, scales gleaming brighter and brighter.
Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons, ATK 2600 → 5200.
"Fifty-two hundred and two attacks, if both land, Chazz loses!"
Chazz smirked.
"As expected… that card was meant to bring out Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons."
Hikaru glanced at Chazz's set cards, then looked up at his partner monster.
"Gaia, it's all on you."
"Leave it to me, my lord! I will complete the mission!"
"Battle! Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons, attack XYZ-Dragon Cannon! Spiral Spear Strike!"
The knight's body spun like a drill of wind and lightning, slamming straight through the mechanical titan.
XYZ-Dragon Cannon exploded into shards of blue light.
Chazz Princeton LP: 4000 → 1600.
"Good, no Mirror Force or defensive trap this time!" Misawa pumped his fist.
"So summoning El Shaddoll Grysta wasn't for defense after all!"
"Chazz's LP is 1600, Gaia can't end it now, but Grysta can still attack. Hikaru's got this!"
"Second attack!" Hikaru commanded.
"Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons, strike Armed Dragon Thunder LV10!"
The two WIND dragons met each other's gaze, the calm storm of Gaia versus the raging tempest of Thunder.
"Not so fast, Hikaru!"
Chazz's voice boomed through the airship.
"Armed Dragon is my dignity, my symbol! You won't surpass it so easily!"
"Open Trap Card, Armed Dragon Thunderbolt!"
Lightning tore through the sky, shaking the entire vessel.
"I target my Armed Dragon Thunder LV10! It gains 1000 ATK for each 'Armed Dragon' monster in my Graveyard with a Level less than or equal to it!"
He raised his Duel Disk, electricity arcing between the plates.
"In my Graveyard are Armed Dragon Thunder LV7, LV5, LV3, and Pile Armed Dragon! That's four monsters, so its ATK rises by 4000!"
"Four thousand!?"
"Ah!?"
"Come on, Armed Dragon Thunder LV10!, Aggregate the thunder!!"
Lightning exploded from its wings. The airship lurched violently as the electric glow around the dragon's claws grew brighter and brighter.
Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 — ATK 4000 → 8000!
"Eight thousand!?"
"Could it really reach ten thousand!?"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"This power rivals Cyber End Dragon with Power Bond," Zane murmured, gazing up at the raging thunder dragon.
"Eight thousand minus fifty-two hundred… that's twenty-eight hundred damage! Hikaru's the one losing this exchange!?" Bastion exclaimed.
"No." Hikaru shook his head calmly. "Armed Dragon Thunderbolt's effect states that any battle damage your opponent takes this turn becomes 0."
"Oh!" Realization dawned across the stands.
"Chazz… is this your battle for dignity!?"
Chazz grinned fiercely. "Hah! I told you, I'm going to become the strongest!"
But even as lightning danced across his Duel Disk, the numbers stopped at 8000. Not 10,000, not yet.
"Then let's finish this, Gaia!"
"Bring it, Armed Dragon!"
Both dragons roared, wind and lightning colliding as their masters shouted in unison.
The two titans met above the airship, one wreathed in storm, the other in crackling flame. Their impact shook the skies. Technicians clung to railings; alarms blared, yet no one fled. To witness a clash like this, no Duelist could turn away.
A blinding flash.
Gaia the Magical Knight of Dragons burst apart, scattering like a meteor across the clouds.
"Even 5200 ATK wasn't enough to fell it!"
Even Misawa's mathematical theory suddenly felt vindicated: the audience could feel the 2800-point difference in their bones.
"Then, El Shaddoll Grysta, attack Armed Dragon Thunder LV10!"
"It's useless!" Chazz shouted. "Counterattack, Armed Dragon, shatter it!"
The thunder dragon lashed out with a backhand strike, obliterating the crimson puppet.
"Now I activate the effect of Mirage Swordsman in my Graveyard! When a FIRE Fusion Monster is destroyed by battle or effect, I can Special Summon this card!"
Black flame erupted into blue-white brilliance as the warrior re-formed from molten light.
Mirage Swordsman — Level 8 / FIRE / Warrior / ATK 2800.
"And with Grysta's effect, I recover Shaddoll Schism from my Graveyard!"
"Battle continues!" Hikaru called."
Mirage Swordsman, attack Armed Dragon Thunder LV10!, Phantom Battle Aura Flame Slash Sword!"
The fiery swordsman blurred around his colossal opponent, leaving after-images in every direction. Armed Dragon swung wildly, but the real strike came from below, the opening Gaia's assault had left behind.
"Effect of Mirage Swordsman! At the start of the Damage Step, destroy both battling monsters!"
The warrior's blade carved upward into the dragon's jaw as a surge of lightning exploded outward. Both Duelists shielded their eyes as the sky itself darkened from the blast.
"Then I activate my Trap Card!" Chazz's voice rang through the smoke.
Hikaru frowned. "A Trap? Now?"
"Thieves' Tools!" Chazz declared.
On the hologram, two phantom thieves crossed paths, each snatching from the other.
"When cards on both our fields are destroyed simultaneously by battle or card effect, both players draw two cards!"
"Ha, drawing again?" Hikaru smirked. "Well, you've already burned through every Ojama Magic you've got."
He drew his own next card and smiled faintly."Vampire Fraulein, nice pull."
"I Set one card," he finished, the Duel Disk locking the hologram in place."End turn!"
Chazz wiped the sweat from his forehead.
The floor beneath him felt like it was trembling, maybe it was the ship shaking, or maybe it was his own heartbeat pounding in his chest.
A bargain with the dead, huh?
He glanced at his hand.
Chazz was a Duelist who packed his Deck with plenty of "Draw"-style support cards, because unlike Jaden, he couldn't rely on pure instinct.
"I activate the Spell Card – Tri-Wight!
Target three Level 2 or lower Normal Monsters in my Graveyard and Special Summon them!"
"Then I chain to that activation, Continuous Trap, Shaddoll Schism!. I banish El Shaddoll Construct and El Shaddoll Winda from my Graveyard to Fusion Summon!"
"Come forth, El Shaddoll Winda!"
Purple puppet strings erupted once again, binding Chazz's Duel Disk, but he didn't flinch as they wrapped around his arm.
From his Graveyard, three small, strange-looking spirits emerged, even with their Attack Points of 0, their goofy faces were full of courage.
They lined up before Chazz like a proud little army.
"Ojama Yellow! (Level 2 / LIGHT / Beast-Warrior / ATK 0)"
"Ojama Green! (Level 2 / LIGHT / Beast-Warrior / ATK 0)"
"Ojama Black! (Level 2 / LIGHT / Beast-Warrior / ATK 0)"
"Next, I activate the Spell Card – Unexpected Draw!
I send one face-up non-Effect Monster I control to the Graveyard and draw two cards!"
He pointed to Ojama Yellow.
"Go, little brother!"
"Don't worry, big brothers!"
The Ojamas saluted bravely as Yellow dissolved into light.
"Draw! … and Contract!"
He looked at what he'd drawn, and froze.
It was that card.
The spirit that had been with him since his childhood, the card that led him to victory in his first local tournament.
The same card he buried beneath Duel Academy's soil after losing to Jaden.
When he returned to the Academy, he dug it up again, apologized, and placed it back in his Deck.
He'd grown since then, with his friends by his side, and now, he had drawn it once more.
That's right. How could I fight without you?
A grin spread across Chazz's face.
Both Duelists were running out of steam, but this was the perfect time.
"First, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Twister! Destroy your Shaddoll Schism!"
A sudden gust of wind blew through, shattering the Trap.
"Then, I Tribute two monsters on my field!"
"Goodbye!"
"Last one standing!"
"Advance Summon!"
The darkened sky split down the middle, one half shining with blinding light, the other cloaked in darkness.
"Light and Darkness Dragon!"
With a roar, the half-white, half-black dragon spread its radiant and shadowed wings and descended upon the field.
Light and Darkness Dragon – Level 8 / LIGHT / Dragon / ATK 2800 / DEF 2400
"It's Light and Darkness Dragon?!" Kaiser exclaimed.
"He actually drew his ultimate ace at the final moment!"
"This is bad," someone murmured.
"Hikaru deck is full of Fusion cards, he won't be able to use any effects now!"
"Battle! Attack El Shaddoll Winda!"
The dragon's wings unfurled and it soared forward.
Hikaru raised a card.
"Wait! I activate the monster effect of Vampire Fraulein!"
"It's useless! Light and Darkness Dragon's effect, as long as this card is face-up on the field, all monster effects, Spell, and Trap activations are negated!"
Light flared, cutting through the effect before it could resolve.
"Each time this effect negates a card, Light and Darkness Dragon's ATK and DEF drop by 500!"
ATK 2800 → 2300.
Boom
El Shaddoll Winda shattered.
Hikaru LP: 2200 → 2100.
"Even weakened, its Attack is still higher than Winda's!"
"This is bad…" someone muttered.
Hikaru , however, stayed calm and pointed to his Graveyard.
"Winda's effect!"
"Light and Darkness Dragon's effect!"
Radiant light burst forth again, interrupting him mid-sentence.
ATK 2300 → 1800 / DEF 1900 → 1400.
"It can still negate thrice more…"
"Hikaru barely has any cards left, but even if he draws Fusion cards now, they won't help him!"
Several people discussed quietly.
"Even if Light and Darkness Dragon's ATK drops to its lowest, when it's destroyed by battle it can still revive a monster from the Graveyard. If Hikaru completely drains its power, it'll just bring back Armed Dragon Thunder anyway..."
Everyone's expressions were grim. They all knew Hikaru Amagi's strengths, and his limits.
"Turn end."
Hikaru looked at his hand, then raised his eyes to Chazz Princeton.
"It seems this will be the last turn."
"So confident, Hikaru?" Chazz smirked.
"Light and Darkness Dragon is a card you play only when you're desperate," Hikaru said calmly, his tone almost reflective.
"Because its effect is mandatory, it negates everything, even your own Spells and Traps. Once you summon it, you can't do anything else."
It was true. But in return, its control over effects was absolute.
"Then, my turn, Draw!"
He snapped a card from his Deck. "Normal Summon, Synchro Fusionist!"
A monster appeared that looked like a cross between a Synchro and a Fusion sigil.
Synchro Fusionist – Level 2 / DARK / Spellcaster / ATK 800
"Synchro Fusionist? Is he going to Synchro Summon?" someone whispered.
"But with only a Level 2, he can't, unless he's planning to use Shaddoll Falcon!?"
"Flip Summon, Shaddoll Falcon! Activate its effect: when Flip Summoned, I can Special Summon one 'Shaddoll' monster from my Graveyard!"
A faint light began to shine.
But the moment it appeared, Light and Darkness Dragon's glow surged, breaking the puppet strings binding Falcon.
Light and Darkness Dragon – ATK 1800 → 1300 / DEF 1400 → 900
"One more negation, and it'll be down to the bare minimum!"
"But even then, it's useless, right? Once it's destroyed, it'll just revive Armed Dragon! What then?"
Exactly. What then?
Hikaru touched the Spell Card in his hand, a small smile crossing his face.
"Chazz, you really are an Excellent Duelist… but it seems this time, I'm stronger."
"Fusion Spell Card."
"What? He's still going to use Fusion!?"
"But Light and Darkness Dragon will just negate it!"
"Maybe he's desperate?"
Even the spectators were confused.
"I pay 2000 Life Points!"
"Activate the Spell, Ultra Polymerization!"
"What!?"
"Ultra Polymerization!?" Yuri, watching from another Dimension, almost jumped out of his seat. "Wait, why's it costing Life Points!?"
"Ultra Polymerization, of course!" Kaiba muttered, eyes widening. "That card's activation can't be negated or responded to!"
The audience gasped.
"It's unchainable!?"
"Exactly." Hikaru's voice echoed confidently. "I send two Fusion Materials from my field to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon one Fusion Monster!"
Hikaru LP: 2100 → 100.
"Fusion materials, two DARK monsters on my field!"
"Great wings that pursue ultimate Fusion, embrace all that exists!"
The two monsters transformed into streaks of violet light, merging into the Duel Disk. Purple energy erupted behind Hikaru, filling the air.
"Fusion Summon! Descend—Level 8, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"
The beautiful, predatory dragon unfurled its amethyst wings, descending elegantly behind Hikaru.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon – Level 8 / DARK / Dragon / ATK 2800
Chazz's eyes widened.
"Hikaru, you...!"
"Your Light and Darkness Dragon was Normal Summoned, so Starving Venom can't absorb its ATK," Hikaru explained. "But it can copy its effect."
He smirked. "Which you'll immediately negate. And that's exactly what I want."
Light and Darkness Dragon – ATK 1300 → 800 / DEF 900 → 400
Even with its energy nearly gone, the dragon had done its job, shutting down every defense Chazz could muster.
"It's over, Chazz!"
Chazz clenched his fists, then burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha ha! I'm sorry, Light and Darkness Dragon, this will be your first loss!"
"Then face it head-on!" Hikaru roared.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon's wings glowed a deep violet, unleashing a barrage of energy projectiles.
Light and Darkness Dragon struggled, but the outcome was decided.
The blast consumed the dragon, and Chazz's Life Points dropped to zero.
Chazz Princeton LP: 1600 → 0.
The duel was over.
"Winner, Hikaru Amagi!"
...
Bonus @200
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