Turn 1 – Christopher
The pounding of footsteps echoed through the volcanic battlefield. Before Christopher could even begin his move, the pursuing Obelisk Force had already closed in, their presence looming like vultures circling carrion.
Kenji, Satoru, and Gongenzaka immediately stepped forward, eyes sharp and duel disks raised.
Yuri moved as well, his lips curling into that familiar, eager grin—but Satoru's arm shot out, halting him.
"No," Satoru said firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "You still need time to familiarize yourself with Asuna-san's deck. Let me, Gongenzaka, and Mitsusada take care of this."
For a brief moment, Yuri's grin faltered. He looked like he wanted to protest, but the weight of Satoru's reasoning—and his own unfamiliarity with his newly gained deck—left him no choice but to nod.
Christopher exhaled slowly, his eyes flicking toward the incoming Obelisk Force and then back to his duel. "Tch... it can't be helped," he muttered under his breath, resigned to the tension pressing on all sides. He drew sharply. "I'll start us off. Draw!"
The top card slid free, snapping into his waiting hand with practiced ease. Without hesitation, he raised it high.
"Let's reshape the battlefield to my liking. I activate the Field Spell—Great Nature Library!"
The burning heat of the Volcano Zone wavered as though reality itself were being erased. A blinding radiance consumed the field, swallowing stone and magma alike. When the light dimmed, they stood inside an endless, towering library fused with nature. Books stretched in massive shelves to impossible heights, while sprawling tree branches wove between the structures, their leaves glowing faintly as though alive with knowledge itself. Roots cracked the marble floors, blending the academic and the primal into one seamless realm. Etched into the floor at the duelists' feet was the proud emblem of the Great Nature Clan.
Ryo's eyes narrowed, silently studying the new terrain, while Christopher allowed himself the faintest smirk. "Perfect. Now I'll use the Library's effect. Once per turn, I can add one Success Monster from my Deck to my hand. I'll add Bicolor Baku."
His deck shifted as though alive, a single card sliding out before fluttering neatly into his grasp.
"Next, I summon—Chalk Eraser, Fennec!"
The great doors of the Library creaked open. From within padded a white fox, draped in pale scholar's robes. Upon its head, comically yet fittingly, rested a chalkboard eraser, like the crown of a diligent student. Despite its scholarly air, its piercing golden eyes betrayed keen intelligence.
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 3000
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 1400
Christopher's voice rang with quiet authority as he placed three more cards down. "I'll reinforce my defenses. I set three cards face-down." The holograms shimmered to life, forming a protective barrier of reversed cards around his fox.
He lowered his hand and gave a sharp nod. "That will do. I end my turn."
The library's still air settled once more, though the quiet was laced with tension. Christopher's fox stood alert among the bookshelves, his face-downs gleaming faintly like traps hidden between the pages of a story yet to unfold.
Christopher: 4000 | Hand: 2
Ryo: 4000 | Hand: 5
Turn 2 – Ryo
Ryo's sharp eyes lingered on Christopher's field. Three set cards. A quiet minefield of traps and surprises. He knew well enough not to underestimate them. Still, hesitation had no place here. His lips curled into a determined smirk as his hand tightened on his deck.
"My move... Draw!"
The card snapped from the top of his deck, and as he drew, a sharp gust swirled through the ruined library. Dust scattered. Loose pages fluttered into the air, some caught in the wind like ghostly wings before tumbling to the stone floor.
Ryo glanced at his card—then raised his voice with firm conviction.
"From my hand, I activate Polymerization! I fuse together the two Cyber Dragons in my hand!"
Two serpentine machines erupted onto the field, their chrome-plated coils gleaming with the light of artificial lightning. Without hesitation, a swirling vortex of prismatic energy tore open between them, dragging their forms into its heart.
"Dragons of chrome and lightning, respond to my call! Two become one, bound by fusion's unbreakable chain! Let their twin maws bite down upon destiny itself! Fusion Summon! Awaken, Level 8! Strike twice—annihilate all! Cyber Twin Dragon!!!"
From the vortex burst a titanic mechanical serpent, its body coiled in steel, its twin heads roaring in perfect unison. The entire chamber rattled under its arrival.
Cyber Twin Dragon
Level 8 / LIGHT / Machine / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2100
"Battle!" Ryo commanded, thrusting his arm forward. "Cyber Twin Dragon—attack Chalk Eraser, Fennec! Evolution Twin Burst!"
Both maws opened wide, unleashing paired beams of golden energy that tore across the room like twin lances of judgment.
But before the blast could land, Christopher's calm expression twisted into a knowing grin. He flipped a card from his back row.
"Trap activate—Successor's Pride! Once per battle, I target one of my Success monsters. It gains 1500 ATK, becomes unaffected by all card effects, and cannot be destroyed in battle!"
A green light enveloped Fennec, its body shimmering as though it had just discovered the solution to an impossible equation.
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
ATK: 2000 → 3500
"And with that," Christopher declared, his voice ringing with pride, "let your days of study bear fruit. Chalk Eraser, Fennec's Success!!"
The glow intensified. Fennec stood tall, radiating energy born of realization.
Ryo narrowed his eyes. "Success...?"
Christopher folded his arms, lecturing as though he were a professor. "It is a keyword, unique to my deck. When my monsters' ATK or DEF surpasses a certain threshold once, they achieve Success. For Fennec, the requirement is simple—reaching 3000 ATK or higher. Thus, he has succeeded."
"Hmph. Clever mechanic..." Ryo muttered. His scowl softened into something sharper—anticipation. "But I refuse to let you keep him on the field."
He swept another card forward. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell—Fusion Cancel! My Cyber Twin Dragon returns to the Extra Deck, and the monsters I used to create it are Special Summoned back to the field!"
Cyber Twin Dragon let out a metallic screech before splitting apart in a brilliant burst of light, the fusion unraveling itself. From that light, the two Cyber Dragons slithered back onto the field, their metal hides glinting beneath the floating debris of the ruined library.
Cyber Dragon x2
Level 5 / LIGHT / Machine / Effect
ATK: 2100 / DEF: 1600
"And since one battle has already resolved, Fennec's ATK returns to normal—though he still can't be destroyed."
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
ATK: 3500 → 2000
Ryo's eyes gleamed. "Then I'll strike while the window's open! My Cyber Dragons—attack Fennec! Evolution Burst!!"
Both dragons opened their jaws and released twin beams of sapphire light that ripped through the green aura surrounding Fennec. The mechanical fox staggered, letting out a synthetic cry as the blasts pushed it back.
Christopher raised his arm as the impact struck.
Christopher: 4000 → 3800
"Not bad," Christopher admitted, his expression calm despite the blow.
Ryo, however, wasn't finished. He slammed another card into his Duel Disk. "Quick-Play Spell—Flash Fusion! By paying the cost of immediacy, I fuse once more! My two Cyber Dragons combine again to form—return to me, Cyber Twin Dragon!!"
The serpents were devoured by the vortex once more, and in a flash, Cyber Twin Dragon roared back onto the battlefield, stronger and deadlier than before.
Cyber Twin Dragon
Level 8 / LIGHT / Machine / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2100
"Battle, once again! Cyber Twin Dragon—strike down Fennec! Evolution Twin Burst!!"
The twin heads unleashed their devastating beams, but Christopher was already ready. He snapped his fingers as another set card sprang open.
"Trap activate—Nature's Punishment! When a Successful monster is targeted for an attack, that attack is negated, and I can destroy one card on the field. The target... is your Cyber Twin Dragon!"
Suddenly, thick vines burst forth from the cracks in the stone floor. They whipped around Cyber Twin Dragon's mechanical frame, constricting its coils and dragging it down. Sparks erupted from its joints as the vines tightened mercilessly. With a violent crash, the twin-headed dragon was wrenched apart and destroyed in an explosion of shrapnel.
"Tch..." Ryo hissed, shielding his eyes from the sparks. His ace monster had been felled twice in the same turn. "Fine. I'll end my turn by setting one card face-down."
A new holographic card shimmered onto his field, its identity cloaked in secrecy.
Christopher's calm, steady voice broke the silence. "Then, at the end of your turn, Fennec's Success fades. Normally, he would be destroyed... but when a Successful monster leaves my field, it never goes to the graveyard. Instead, it returns safely to my hand or deck. I choose to return him to my hand. Then as the moment Fennec leaves the field, I draw 1 card."
As he spoke, Fennec dissolved into glowing green particles, its spirit-like essence curling back into the card that slid into Christopher's waiting palm.
The board was once again empty on his side—but the sly curve of his lips made it clear that this was all part of his strategy.
Christopher: 3800 | Hand: 4
Ryo: 4000 | Hand: 0
Turn 3 – Christopher
"My turn—draw." Christopher slid his fingers across his deck, drawing with a fluid motion, eyes narrowing in thought as he inspected the card.
"Once more, I'll activate the effect of Great Nature Library!" His voice echoed through the towering halls of the magical archive, the branches of trees swaying as if the books themselves were alive and attentive to his words. "Once per turn, I can add one Success Monster from my deck to my hand. This time, I'll take Errand Somali."
The card floated into his palm as the library's shelves shifted and clicked, like the sound of knowledge reshuffling itself to aid its scholar.
Without hesitation, Christopher placed a familiar card in the board. "And now, I summon once again—Chalk Eraser, Fennec!"
The grand doors of the library creaked open, and the familiar white fox emerged, robes fluttering in an unseen breeze, the eraser still balanced proudly on its head.
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 3000
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 1400
Ryo's brow furrowed as he adjusted his stance. "So you brought it back. Then you're preparing another direct strike?" He raised his hand instinctively toward his set cards, his duel instincts already bracing for impact.
But Christopher only smirked. "Not exactly. You've seen nothing yet. I now call my comrade—Errand Somali!"
He placed the card not in the Monster Zone, but into the Spell & Trap Zone. The strange play caused the library to shimmer as a tiny feline creature bounded into view. It wore a miniature explorer's outfit, complete with satchel and goggles, and perched right behind Fennec like a loyal assistant taking notes for its master.
Errand Somali
Level 2 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 1500
ATK: 500 / DEF: 500
The move made Ryo stiffen. His eyes widened slightly, the confidence he carried beginning to shift into sharp focus. "What did you just do? You... placed a monster in your Spell and Trap Zone?" His voice carried both confusion and caution.
Christopher's grin widened, his emerald eyes gleaming with mischief. "That's the heart of my deck. High-Beasts don't follow conventional logic. They can occupy the Spell & Trap Zones while retaining their effects. Assistants, researchers, errand-runners... all aiding the central mind in battle. They may look harmless, but from there, they can push my Success Monsters to greater heights!"
Ryo grit his teeth, realizing this battle wasn't going to be as straightforward as he initially thought.
Christopher snapped his hand forward. "Battle! Errand Somali gives its full support to Fennec! With its encouragement, Fennec gains 500 attack points. Strike directly, Fennec!"
Somali raised its tiny paw in a cheer, its explorer's satchel glowing brightly. A burst of greenish light coursed over Fennec, its aura intensifying as its scholarly robes flared with power.
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
ATK: 2000 → 2500
The fox darted across the library floor with lightning speed, aiming a sweeping strike directly at Ryo.
"Not so fast!" Ryo's voice thundered as his trap card flipped open with a flash of blue. "Continuous Trap—Call of the Living Dead! Rise once more, Cyber Twin Dragon!"
From a shroud of surging electricity, the colossal twin-headed dragon materialized, its mechanical roars shaking the towering bookshelves of the Great Nature Library. Both heads glared down with predatory menace, intercepting Fennec's path and shielding its master with an intimidating wall of steel and plasma energy.
Cyber Twin Dragon
Level 8 / LIGHT / Machine / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2100
Fennec skidded back, its tail flicking with annoyance, the attack cut off before reaching Ryo.
Christopher only chuckled softly. "Heh. I expected nothing less. Your machines may tower over my beasts, but raw size isn't everything." He gestured casually, signaling the end of his assault. "That concludes my turn. And, at the End Phase, Fennec's power reverts."
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
ATK: 2500 → 2000
As the glowing aura around the fox faded, Somali tucked its tiny notebook away, still ready to lend its master another burst of support at a moment's notice.
Christopher lowered his hand and allowed his calm composure to return. "Your move, Ryo. Show me how much wisdom your machines truly hold."
Ryo's gaze hardened as he looked across the field—Cyber Twin Dragon reawakened, standing tall and fierce, while Christopher's fox and curious assistant held their ground within the grand library. The duel had only just begun, yet both duelists could already sense that each move carried weight. This wasn't just about overwhelming the opponent with power—it was a clash of philosophies, a test between ingenuity and calculation.
Christopher: 3800 | Hand: 3
Ryo: 4000 | Hand: 0
Turn 4 – Ryo
For the first three turns, Ryo had been content to test the waters, gauging Christopher's strange "Success" strategy. But the last turn had shown him just how dangerous Christopher's deck could be if left unchecked. That defensive stunt, bringing back Fennec in such an unorthodox manner, forced Ryo to change his approach. This was no longer the time for half-measures.
"Draw!"
Ryo's voice rang out sharp and decisive as he slid the top card from his deck. His eyes widened ever so slightly when he saw it—this was exactly the momentum he needed. His grip on the card tightened, his calm mask hardening into determination.
"I summon Cyber Vary!"
Light scattered into metallic fragments as a serpentine, mechanical dragon slithered onto the field. Unlike the imposing frame of Cyber Dragon, this one was small and wiry, its silver body lined with crimson orbs glowing like warning beacons. Its piercing electronic hiss filled the air.
Cyber Vary
Level 1 / LIGHT / Machine / Effect
ATK: 0 / DEF: 0
Christopher tilted his head with a faint grin. "A monster with zero attack? Hm... must be an important one if you're willing to risk putting it out there."
Ryo's only response was a faint smirk as he extended his hand forward. "You're right about one thing—it's important. But I don't plan to rely on it alone. Battle!"
The metallic wings of Ryo's ace unfolded, energy crackling across the field.
"Cyber Twin Dragon! Attack Fennec! Evolution Twin Burst!"
With a mechanical roar, the twin-headed dragon launched a concentrated double-beam of spiraling energy. The attack slammed into Fennec, shattering the beast into particles of light.
Christopher: 3800 → 3000
Christopher raised a finger sharply. "Trap activate—Emergency Thesis! When a Success monster is destroyed, I may call it back to my spell and trap zone. Return, Chalk Eraser, Fennec!"
The fox re-emerged in a flurry of chalky dust, this time reforming as a spirit-like figure hovering behind Christopher. It waved at Somali, who eagerly waved back, much to Christopher's satisfaction.
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 3000
ATK: 2000 → 3000 / DEF: 1400
"And since it was called back, Fennec becomes Successful until the end of my next turn!"
Ryo narrowed his eyes. "So that's how you keep your beasts alive... fine. Cyber Twin Dragon's effect activates! It can attack twice per turn! Once more—Evolution Twin Burst!"
The twin muzzles glowed again, charging another destructive blast. Christopher, however, raised his hand calmly.
"When your monster declares an attack, I can Special Summon this from my hand! Appear—Sitter Bobtail!"
A strange aura swept across the field as a small, furry cat creature emerged. She carried infants—one swaddled on her back, another in front—while shaking a rattle in her paw. Her arrival was odd, almost comical, yet the presence she brought was oddly soothing.
Sitter Bobtail
Level 3 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 1000
ATK: 0 / DEF: 0
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "You summoned a monster with zero attack? You're asking to be crushed even faster!"
Christopher smirked knowingly. "Not quite. Sitter Bobtail's skill! If I control three or more Success monsters, all battle damage I take is negated, and she cannot be destroyed by battle. Furthermore, she gains 500 DEF for every Success monster I have in my spell and trap zone!"
The rattle jingled, and instantly a protective barrier of soft, shimmering light spread across Christopher's field. The babies carried by Bobtail stirred awake and began clapping, their cries turning into cheerful giggles as though mocking Ryo's attempted strike.
Sitter Bobtail
DEF: 0 → 1000
Cyber Twin Dragon's second burst struck, but the barrier held firm. Christopher remained standing, completely unscathed.
Ryo clicked his tongue. "Tch... hiding behind infants and guardians now?"
Christopher chuckled lightly, stroking his scarf. "Every creature has its role, Ryo. And mine? They protect me while preparing the inevitable. You'll find that I play for the long game, not the immediate kill."
The laughter of the infant beasts rang softly, almost eerie in the quiet tension that followed.
Ryo clenched his fist but lowered it slowly. He had thrown everything at Christopher's defenses this turn, and yet the High-Beast tamer had survived unscathed once again. "...I end my turn."
Christopher raised his hand gracefully. "At the end of the turn, Sitter Bobtail returns to the deck. She fulfilled her duty and leaves with a smile."
The furry caretaker bowed as she and the infants shimmered away in light, vanishing peacefully. "And since she was Successful, I draw one card."
The card slid neatly into Christopher's hand, his calm demeanor unchanged as though he had foreseen everything that transpired. His field remained supported by his Success beasts, his strategy building one piece at a time.
Christopher: 3000 | Hand: 3
Ryo: 4000 | Hand: 0
For the first time, Ryo exhaled slowly, the weight of the duel pressing harder on his shoulders. He had unleashed his twin-headed dragon and gained no ground. His field was strong, yes—but Christopher had woven a web of defenses so meticulous that brute force alone might not be enough to break through.
And judging by the quiet, calculating glint in Christopher's eyes, the real threat hadn't even begun yet.
Turn 5 – Christopher
"My turn! Draw!"
Christopher's fingers snapped against the top card of his deck, and the second it slid free, the glow of PSYQualia flickered in his eyes. A thin, confident smirk stretched across his face as if fate itself had handed him the very card he had been waiting for.
"Finally. Took you long enough to show up." His voice was low but laced with excitement as he raised the card high. "From my hand, I activate the Spell Card—Research Integration! With this, I can Fusion Summon an Honorary Professor Fusion Monster using materials not just from my field and hand... but also from my graveyard and even my spell and trap zone!"
Ryo's eyes widened, disbelief etched across his face. "You can use monsters from your spell and trap zone too?!"
Christopher's chuckle was both smug and theatrical, his PSYQualia aura pulsing brighter. "Watch closely, because this is where my lecture begins. I fuse Bicolor Baku from my hand and Errand Somali that lies in my spell and trap zone!"
The very air seemed to tear open beside Christopher as a glowing wooden door materialized, creaking on rusted hinges. Errand Somali, the scholarly fox-like attendant, hurried through the portal with a deferential bow, and right behind him waddled a rotund black baku draped in flowing white scholar's robes. The creature moved ponderously, yet with an aura of dignity befitting a sage. The door slammed shut, sealing the fusion ritual as Christopher began his incantation.
"From the hallowed halls of wisdom, where knowledge sharpens into power... I call forth the prowling scholar whose claws rend ignorance itself! Fusion Summon!"
The door burst open once more, light spilling out in a dignified cascade. Emerging from the glow came a beast walking on two legs, fur glossy and dark, dressed in black-and-violet professor's robes. A monocle gleamed over one sharp eye, while atop his head rested a grand top hat. His every step echoed with the authority of an academic ready to dissect his prey.
"Appear—Level 8! Honorary Professor, Chatnoir!"
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
Level 8 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect / Success 4000
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2300
The creature gave a dignified nod, one claw adjusting his monocle as his tail swished behind him with lazy superiority.
Ryo's eyes narrowed. "So that's your ace monster. Doesn't look imposing... but I can feel it. Something dangerous is hiding under that façade."
Christopher chuckled, his glasses flashing as his grin widened. "Kukuku... you're right to be cautious. Because Chatnoir is a professor who grades with claws. And first lesson: since I used a monster in the spell and trap zone as material, Research Integration grants Chatnoir 1000 extra ATK!"
The professor's body surged with green-blue energy as his robes flared dramatically.
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
ATK: 2800 → 3800
"And that's not all," Christopher continued, voice rising like he was addressing a lecture hall. "When Chatnoir is Fusion Summoned while there's a monster in my spell and trap zone, he gains another 1000 ATK!"
The monocle gleamed like a spotlight as Chatnoir cracked his claws against one another, the ground itself trembling.
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
ATK: 3800 → 4800
Christopher spread his arms wide as if inviting applause. "And with that, my Professor has reached his state of Success!"
Chatnoir tilted his head proudly, cane now manifesting in one paw, tapping against the battlefield floor.
"Battle!" Christopher commanded. "Chatnoir, attack Cyber Twin Dragon! And at this moment, I activate his Success ability! When Chatnoir attacks, I draw and check the top two cards of my deck. If either of them is a Success monster, he earns himself another lecture period—and attacks twice! Draw!"
He slid the top two cards free with sharp precision, his PSYQualia aura spiking. His smile deepened as he revealed one gleaming Success monster among them. "Well, look at that. Fortune favors the learned. I'll add one more card to my hand!"
He slipped the extra card into his hand as Chatnoir prepared to strike again. The beast professor raised his cane, channeling it into a devastating arcane slash aimed directly at Ryo's dragon.
But Ryo wasn't backing down. His hand snapped up. "I activate Cyber Vary's effect! By banishing this card from my graveyard, I end your Battle Phase entirely—and I get to draw one card!"
Cyber Vary's shimmering form appeared briefly, its orbs shined as it protected Ryo before fading into nothingness. The moment it vanished, Chatnoir's slash faltered mid-air and dissipated like chalk washed from a board.
Christopher clicked his tongue in mild annoyance but masked it quickly with a smug grin. "Hmph. Clever. Using the youngest Cyber to stall my lecture... not bad. But even a recess must end eventually."
Ryo drew a card, the relief in his expression subtle but visible. His dragon stood unharmed, its twin heads snarling as if daring the Professor to come again.
"Well, class, that concludes today's session," Christopher said smoothly as he slid two cards into his back row. "I set two cards face-down. My turn ends here."
Chatnoir tapped his cane twice before stepping back with a bow, his robes settling as his ATK power faded back to its base level.
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
ATK: 4800 → 2800
Christopher adjusted his glasses, his eyes glinting. "And since my turn is ending, Fennec returns from the field to my hand. Furthermore, because Fennec is Successful, I draw one additional card."
Fennec appeared briefly, waving cheerfully before dissolving into light and hopping back into Christopher's hand. Another card slid from the top of his deck, swelling his advantage even further.
Ryo's jaw tensed at the sight. His opponent's field was deceptively simple—one monster, two back rows—but his hand had swelled to dangerous proportions. And with PSYQualia burning in Christopher's eyes, every move felt like it was part of some inevitable checkmate.
Christopher: 3000 | Hand: 5
Ryo: 4000 | Hand: 1
Christopher raised a finger, as if punctuating the end of a lecture. "Now then... the chalkboard is clean, the notes are written. Let's see how well you've studied, Ryo."
Ryo tightened his grip on his cards, sweat at the corner of his brow. "I'll show you. Lesson or not, this duel isn't over."
Turn 6 – Ryo
"My turn! Draw!"
Ryo's voice rang sharp across the grand library, his eyes narrowing as his hand moved with precision. He studied the drawn card for only a second before his lips curled into a small, confident smirk. This was the moment to break Christopher out of his carefully crafted rhythm.
"I summon—Proto Cyber Dragon!"
A mechanical roar echoed as the air shimmered with light, and a smaller version of Cyber Dragon materialized. Its frame bore sleek orange energy lines that pulsed like molten circuits, a faint glow spreading across its mechanical plating.
Proto Cyber Dragon
Level 3 / LIGHT / Machine / Effect
ATK: 1100 / DEF: 600
"As long as Proto Cyber Dragon remains on the field, it counts as a Cyber Dragon." Ryo's tone was deliberate, his gaze flicking toward Christopher. "And now... let's shift gears. I activate the Quick-Play Spell—Re-Fusion! I tribute my Cyber Twin Dragon in order to bring back the two Cyber Dragons from my Graveyard!"
The twin-headed colossus that had dominated the field for so long dissolved into radiant data, sacrificing itself as two metallic pillars of light burst forth. They reshaped into the familiar gleaming forms of Cyber Dragons, their serpentine bodies unfurling with a synchronized roar.
Cyber Dragon x2
Level 5 / LIGHT / Machine / Effect
ATK: 2100 / DEF: 1600
Christopher's brow lifted slightly. His sharp eyes scanned the field, not missing the weight of Ryo's decision. "You gave up your strongest monster... for the sake of two lesser ones?" His tone was calm, yet edged with curiosity.
Ryo's expression hardened into determination. "Individually, they may seem weaker. But when they unite, their power becomes absolute. I'll prove it to you here and now!"
The ground began to rumble as the circuits of the two Cyber Dragons glowed brighter. Proto Cyber Dragon extended its energy streams, merging with them. Ryo raised his hand high as the battlefield's light shifted into a swirling prism of colors.
"With Re-Fusion's effect, I can perform a Fusion Summon using the materials on my field! I fuse my two Cyber Dragons and Proto Cyber Dragon, which is treated as a Cyber Dragon!"
The trio of machines were sucked into the multicolored vortex, their metallic roars reverberating like engines firing at full throttle. Ryo's voice rose in a commanding chant that shook with conviction.
"Three dragons of steel, bound by destiny! Circuits flare, wings ignite—let all power converge into one ultimate form!
Fusion Summon! Descend, Level 10! The final evolution of machine supremacy—Cyber End Dragon!!!"
The library trembled violently as the vortex exploded outward. From within, a colossal shadow stretched across the shelves, books rattling loose from their places. Then, with a deafening mechanical roar, a titanic dragon emerged—its serpentine body gleaming in white alloy, three heads snarling in unison, wings wide enough to eclipse the chandeliers overhead. The force of its arrival made the very air shudder.
Cyber End Dragon
Level 10 / LIGHT / Machine / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 4000 / DEF: 2800
Christopher instinctively stepped back, his coat fluttering in the shockwave of the summon. "A monster... with 4000 attack points." His words came low, almost as though testing the weight of the beast before him.
Ryo's eyes gleamed with pride, but his focus remained sharp. "And since I fused only with monsters from my field, I draw one card." He slid the card from his deck, giving it only the briefest glance before pointing straight ahead. "Battle! Cyber End Dragon—strike down Honorary Professor, Chatnoir! Show them the future of evolution—Eternal Evolution Burst!"
The three heads of Cyber End Dragon charged with pure white energy, the library flashing with blinding light. Streams of concentrated destruction gathered in its maws, ready to obliterate everything in its path.
But before the devastating beam could fire, Christopher's hand moved swiftly, his calm expression sharpening.
"Trap activate—Graduate Defense!"
The floor beneath Chatnoir glowed as a magical barrier of intricate equations and symbols spiraled upward, enveloping the professor-like beast in a golden shield. Christopher's voice carried firm authority. "When my opponent activates an effect or declares an attack, I negate it—and as a price, I banish one card from your Graveyard. I choose your Polymerization!"
A flash of light streaked across the Graveyard zone, sealing the spell away into nothingness. The barrier held fast as Cyber End Dragon's three-headed blast collided with it, the shockwave rattling the towering bookshelves but leaving Chatnoir untouched. The sound of the clash reverberated like thunder.
Ryo shielded his face from the backlash, his jaw tightening. When the light died down, he lowered his arm and smirked faintly. "Hmph... so you're still holding on to surprises." His voice carried both respect and a faint thrill. "That makes this duel all the more exciting."
Christopher, calm but cautious, adjusted his glasses. "A duel isn't decided by brute force alone, Ryo. Power without direction is easily deflected."
Ryo chuckled softly, lowering his hand with a sharp flick as he placed a card onto the field. "Then let's see how long you can deflect. I set one card face-down. My turn ends."
The mighty Cyber End Dragon loomed behind him, its presence overwhelming, a constant reminder of the raw destructive power that Ryo commanded. Yet Christopher's unwavering composure suggested that he was already planning his next move, eyes locked on the battlefield like a scholar dissecting a problem yet unsolved.
Christopher: 3000 | Hand: 5
Ryo: 4000 | Hand: 0
The duel teetered on the edge of escalation, and both knew—what came next would decide whether machine supremacy or academic precision would prevail.
Turn 7 – Christopher
"Draw!"
The word echoed like a command through the ancient library as Christopher drew his card from the glowing GIRS board. His eyes narrowed, scanning the battlefield. Cyber End Dragon loomed, a mechanical juggernaut of overwhelming force, its metallic heads watching him like sentinels. And yet, despite its terrifying presence, Ryo's Life Points remained untouched.
Seven turns. Not a single dent in Ryo's defenses.
Christopher's jaw tightened. "Tch. So this is the Kaiser Yuri spoke of—the strongest Academia ever produced. If this is his pace, then perhaps that madman wasn't exaggerating."
For a brief moment, his irritation flickered through the calm professor façade. His hands clenched slightly on the edge of the board. "I've been working as a corporate president too long. Endless meetings, endless responsibilities... I've nearly forgotten what it feels like to fight at full strength."
Then, slowly, his lips curled into a smirk. "But perhaps that's exactly why this duel excites me."
His PSYQualia flared to life. The visions came, vivid and electric, feeding him glimpses of the path ahead. A faint glow burned at the edges of his irises. This was no ordinary duel—it was a battle of wills, of philosophy, of supremacy. And in his vision, he saw the moment: Ryo's towering dragon crumbling beneath his scholarly beasts.
"First," Christopher declared, slamming a card onto the board, "I reactivate Great Nature's Library! I add to my hand Bootcamp Cyrmic!" The shelves of the spectral library shimmered, a new tome sliding itself into Christopher's hand as the field groaned with ancient knowledge.
"And next, I activate the Spell Card—Fusion Seminar!"
The field warped. The library's doors swung open, ancient and massive, the glow of academia spilling through. "With this card, I can Fusion Summon one High-Beast monster using materials from my field, my hand, my Spell/Trap Zone... and one monster from my Deck itself!"
He raised his hand, each card glowing as he named them. "I fuse from my Deck—Research Student, Muffin! From my hand—Chalk Eraser, Fennec! And from my field—Honorary Professor, Chatnoir!"
A swirl of energy pulled the trio forward. Muffin appeared first: a small, eager female cat clad in a red explorer's outfit, notebook clutched in hand. She glanced nervously at the looming Cyber End Dragon before bravely stepping into the light. Beside her appeared Fennec, wielding chalk like blades, and lastly Chatnoir himself, refined yet weary, stepping toward the grand library doors as if called home.
The heavy doors closed behind them, glowing brighter and brighter until Christopher's voice cut through the tension in an incantation.
"From the summit of learning, where genius illuminates the battlefield!
I call upon the supreme scholar who leads all to success!
Let no obstacle stand before your brilliance!
Fusion Summon! Arise—Level 11! Super Honorary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir!"
The doors burst open. From within emerged Chatnoir, but reborn—his robes adorned with gleaming gemstones, three ornate tomes orbiting him like satellites of knowledge. His tails had multiplied—no longer one, but three, each swishing with confident authority. He walked calmly to the battlefield, gaze locking with Cyber End Dragon's three metallic heads. The clash of intellect and machine supremacy crackled in the air.
Super Honorary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir
Level 11 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect / Success 4500
ATK: 3400 / DEF: 2700
Ryo's lips curved into the faintest of smiles, unshaken by the intimidating aura. "So that's your ace's evolution... good. Now bring it on."
Christopher's smirk mirrored his. "Gladly. Upon Fusion Summon, Meilleur Chatnoir allows me to add two High-Beast monsters from my Deck and place them directly in the Spell/Trap Zones." He snapped his fingers, and two new beasts appeared within glowing seals.
A tanuki mechanic tinkered with a wrench at his belt. "Animal Clip Lesser!"
And beside him, a panda in a tracksuit, a tire strapped proudly to his waist, cracked his knuckles. "Body Faction, Maox!"
Animal Clip Lesser
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 2000
ATK: 1400 → 1900 / DEF: 1500
Body Faction, Maox
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 2500
ATK: 1300 → 1800 / DEF: 1700
Christopher adjusted his glasses, eyes gleaming. "Each gains 500 attack when placed this way. And now, their abilities activate."
"Lesser gains an additional 400 attack—no, with a High-Beast Fusion present, it's 800 instead!"
Animal Clip Lesser
ATK: 1900 → 2700 ATK
"And Maox gains 700, and once per turn, I can grant 500 attack to a Success monster on my field. Naturally, I choose my professor!"
Body Faction Maox
ATK: 1800 → 2500
Super Honorary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir
ATK: 3400 → 3900
Christopher extended his arm. "And with their abilities fulfilled, both Lesser and Maox achieve Success!" A flash of light enveloped the tanuki and panda, the aura of inspiration flowing into Chatnoir.
"Now—Battle!" His voice cracked like thunder. "Meilleur Chatnoir, strike down Cyber End Dragon!"
Ryo's eyes narrowed, his body tense as he prepared a counter. But Christopher's voice cut in first, sharp and certain. "And before you can say a word, I activate Meilleur Chatnoir's ability! When he attacks, if Honorary Professor Chatnoir is in the Graveyard—he gains 1000 attack!"
The books orbiting Chatnoir glowed, opening to reveal torrents of knowledge that burned with elemental power.
Meilleur Chatnoir:
ATK: 3900 → 4900
Christopher's lips curled in satisfaction. "And with that, my professor achieves Success as well!"
Chatnoir adjusted his monocle with calm precision before his three floating tomes unleashed a storm of magic. Nine radiant circles spun into being, bombarding Cyber End Dragon in a devastating barrage of fire, water, and lightning.
The titanic machine let out a mechanical roar as explosions ripped across its armor. Finally, with one last cry, the great dragon collapsed, shattering into data fragments.
Ryo staggered slightly, shielding himself from the blast. His Life Points plummeted.
Ryo: 4000 → 3100
Christopher raised his hand, commanding with authority. "Now, Meilleur Chatnoir's Success effect! After he attacks, he returns to the Extra Deck—and in exchange, I Special Summon Honorary Professor, Chatnoir from my Graveyard, with an added 2000 attack points!"
The evolved professor gave a satisfied smile before fading, his books shutting with a snap. The glow coalesced, and the original Chatnoir strode forth once again, renewed and empowered.
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
Level 8 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect / Success 4000
ATK: 2800 → 4800 / DEF: 2300
"And with Maox's support," Christopher continued, his voice rising, "Chatnoir can attack directly!"
Maox cheered wildly, punching the air left and right as his support magic swirled into Chatnoir.
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
ATK: 4800 → 7100
The professor raised his paw, incanting, as an overwhelming wave of energy cascaded toward Ryo.
Ryo's voice cut through the chaos: "Trap open—Power Wall!"
The library groaned as a shimmering barrier of steel and code erupted in front of him. "By sending cards from my Deck to the Graveyard, I can negate 500 damage per card. I'll send ten!"
His deck whirred as ten cards vanished into the Graveyard, the shield groaning but holding. The destructive torrent struck with fury, but much of its power was absorbed.
Ryo: 3100 → 1000
The air was thick with smoke and burning light as the attack subsided. Ryo stood firm, sweat beading on his brow but his gaze sharp as ever.
Christopher smirked faintly, adjusting his glasses. "Stubborn. But expected." He placed a hand on his deck. "Chatnoir's Success activates—I check the top two cards of my Deck." He glanced quickly, his expression betraying a flash of disappointment. "Hmph. No monsters. So be it."
He exhaled, his tone softening slightly. "I've done what I needed to this turn."
Cards shimmered as the end of the turn drew near. "At the End Phase, Animal Clip Lesser goes to the Graveyard. Since it achieved Success, I shuffle Research Integration from my Graveyard into my Deck and draw one card. Maox is destroyed as well. Since he too was Successful, I draw one more before he returns to my Deck."
Two bursts of light faded from the field, leaving only the empowered Chatnoir standing tall. Christopher finally placed one card into the discard, his hand overflowing. "And since I now hold eight, I discard one to the Graveyard."
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
ATK: 7100 → 2800
The library quieted, though the air still thrummed with the aftershocks of knowledge and power. Christopher's eyes never left Ryo, the faintest grin tugging at his lips. "Your dragon has fallen, Kaiser. Now, let's see if you can rise again."
Christopher: 3000 LP | Hand: 7
Ryo: 1000 LP | Hand: 0
The duel stood at the razor's edge. One genius professor, one steel-hearted Kaiser. And only one would endure.
Turn 8 – Ryo
Ryo's fingers trembled slightly as they lingered over the edge of his deck. His eyes, once cold and focused, now gleamed with something rare—excitement.
"It took him seven turns to finally touch my Life Points..." he muttered inwardly, the faintest smile tugging at his lips. "And when he did, it wasn't a scratch—it was a merciless assault. If I hadn't set Power Wall last turn, this duel would've ended with me flat on the floor. I came here under orders...to test Fubuki...to measure Academia's enemies..." His voice trailed in thought, only for his smile to sharpen. "But to think I would find someone...someone who can drag me this far. Christopher Lo...you're no ordinary duelist. You're worthy."
He placed his fingers firmly on the top of his deck. Sparks of electricity ran across his hand, hissing faintly.
"DRAW!"
The card slid free, and a faint pulse of static surged from it. Ryo's entire aura shifted. Christopher's eyes narrowed—his PSYQualia flared like a warning siren, sensing something massive about to descend.
Ryo raised his card high. "I activate the Spell Card—Overload Fusion!"
The duel arena itself seemed to crackle under the weight of the announcement.
"With this card, I can Fusion Summon one Machine-Type Fusion Monster by banishing materials from my graveyard!"
Christopher's brows furrowed. "The graveyard...? Don't tell me—"
"I banish—" Ryo's voice thundered as he declared each name like a hammer blow, "My 3 Cyber Dragons! Proto-Cyber Dragon! Cyber Vary! Cyber Twin Dragon! Cyber End Dragon! Cyber Phoenix! Cyber Barrier Dragon! Cyberdark Edge!"
Ten monsters. Ten sacrifices. The duel disk howled as the graveyard's slot surged with violet light.
Christopher's eyes widened. "Ten monsters...? You're fusing them all?!"
The battlefield warped into a storm of metallic shards and collapsing code. A whirlpool of color opened—a vortex too violent to resemble the calm gates of ordinary Fusion. Ryo stretched his arm out, chanting with raw conviction:
"From the abyss of technology, where order collapses and chaos reigns...!
Where countless machines break, fuse, and reform into an endless nightmare...!
Fusion Summon! Descend, Level 9! The beast of infinite maws—CHIMERATECH OVERDRAGON!!!"
The vortex exploded.
From it crawled a monstrosity so grotesque that even Christopher felt his heart tighten. A metallic leviathan, its serpentine body twisting with writhing cables, writhed onto the field. Ten heads, each a draconic machine, swiveled in different directions. They opened their maws and roared in horrifying unison, the sound reverberating through the shelves of the Great Nature Library, shaking its very foundations.
Chimeratech Overdragon
Level 9 / DARK / Machine / Fusion / Effect
ATK: ? / DEF: ?
Ryo extended his arm, his smile wide. "Chimeratech Overdragon's ATK and DEF increase by 800 for every Machine used to summon it. I used ten. That means this beast gains 8000 ATK and DEF!"
The dragon's ten eyes glowed blood-red as power surged through its body.
Chimeratech Overdragon
ATK: ? → 8000 / DEF: ? → 8000
Christopher's breath escaped him. "Eight...thousand...?!"
"And that's not all!" Ryo's voice boomed like thunder. "Chimeratech Overdragon can attack once for every Fusion Material I used! I used ten...which means it can attack ten times this turn!"
The arena darkened, swallowed by the dragon's overwhelming presence.
"Battle!" Ryo commanded, his voice like a war cry. "Chimeratech Overdragon—devour Honorary Professor, Chatnoir! Evolution Result Burst!!!"
The ten heads reared back, their maws pooling with a violet storm of destructive energy. With a unified roar, they unleashed ten consecutive beams of annihilation, all converging toward Christopher and his loyal Professor.
Christopher didn't flinch. His eyes gleamed with determination.
"I won't let this be the end! When a High-Beast monster is targeted for an attack, I can Fusion Summon using monsters from my field, hand, or spell/trap zones! I fuse Bootcamp Cyrmic, Travelling Momonga, and Treatise Panther!"
The doors of the Great Nature Library groaned open. Through them stepped his chosen beasts: a chubby cat in a tracksuit, a flying squirrel burdened with a backpack, and a white-furred scholar-panther. Together, they entered the library's glow.
Christopher's voice rang out like a hymn:
"From the heartbeat of determination, I invoke the guardian beyond time!
Let the shield of immortality descend upon the broken line...
and stand as an unyielding bulwark!
Fusion Summon—manifest, Level 10! Immortality Professor, Sankalpa!!!"
The doors burst open again. Out stepped a titanic tortoise with a flowing white beard, robed in crimson scholar's garb. His presence was calm, his eyes deep with millennia of wisdom.
Immortality Professor, Sankalpa
Level 10 / EARTH / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 0 / DEF: 4000
Even Ryo raised his brows. "To think you had a counter prepared even during my Battle Phase... impressive."
Christopher's voice was steady. "Defense is the foundation of strategy, Ryo. Don't underestimate it."
"Even so..." Ryo's eyes burned. "No wall can stop the Overdragon! Continue your attack!"
The beams surged forward, but Christopher's hand shot up.
"Quick-Play Spell—Cunning Curriculum! I increase one Success monster's ATK or DEF by 1000! I choose Chatnoir's DEF!"
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
DEF: 2300 → 3300
"And that's not all! Sankalpa's skill activates!" Christopher roared. "Once per turn, I choose one High-Beast monster on my field. That monster gains 500 DEF for every open monster and spell/trap zone I control! There are eight open slots—so Chatnoir gains 4000 DEF!"
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
DEF: 3300 → 7300
Ryo's grin widened. "Seven thousand three hundred defense...?! Impressive, but still not enough to endure ten strikes from Overdragon!"
Christopher's voice thundered back: "It's not endurance I'm after! It's checkmate! Because Sankalpa has another ability! When the chosen monster's ATK or DEF increases by 4000 or more, the Battle Phase ends immediately!!!"
The Immortality Professor raised his wrinkled hand. Glowing equations and ancient formulae spun into a barrier, intercepting the Overdragon's devastating beams. The attacks fizzled into harmless sparks, snuffed out by mathematics itself.
The arena stilled.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
Ryo threw his head back and laughed. A wild, unrestrained laugh, echoing across the Great Nature Library. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! To think...to think you could force even my Chimeratech Overdragon to halt in its path! Magnificent, Christopher Lo! Magnificent!!!" His eyes were alive with exhilaration, no longer the cold tactician but a warrior reveling in the clash. "Very well. I end my turn."
Christopher straightened, his breath steady though his heart still pounded. "At the end of the turn, Sankalpa returns to the Extra Deck. And when he does, I draw three cards." He slid his new cards into his hand, his eyes gleaming.
The duel stood on a knife's edge.
Christopher: 3000 | Hand: 7
Ryo: 1000 | Hand: 0
Turn 9 – Christopher
Christopher was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling as though the duel itself had stolen the very air from his lungs. Summoning Sankalpa earlier had been a desperate act, a move he hadn't predicted nor calculated beforehand. Normally, he would have built contingency plays meticulously, layers of defenses woven together like a scholar's thesis. But against this—Ryo's ten-headed monstrosity with the overwhelming name Chimeratech Overdragon—his carefully honed methods had collapsed. The beast had forced him into improvisation for the first time since his infamous fight against Aichi back at the Asia Circuit semi-finals.
He clenched his jaw, his mind racing. A ten-headed mechanical hydra with 8000 attack and defense... ten attacks waiting to devour everything in sight. If I falter for even a second, I lose. This... this is what true pressure feels like.
Christopher closed his eyes, grounding himself. His fingers hovered over his deck, trembling not with fear, but with the weight of inevitability.
"...Then it comes to this," he muttered under his breath. "Whatever I draw now will decide it all."
He exhaled sharply, placed his hand firmly atop his deck, and drew.
"Draw!"
The moment the card left the top of his deck, a violent gust of wind tore through the library. Papers, books, and even broken fragments of the ceiling whirled around them as if the world itself recognized the gravity of this moment. Christopher looked at the card... and froze. His eyes widened.
The spell: Zeroth Fusion.
Suddenly, his PSYQualia ignited. His surroundings blurred and melted away. In the span of a heartbeat, he was no longer in the library but deep in a forest within Zoo's heart. There, amidst towering trees older than civilizations, a colossal presence loomed.
From the shadows, she emerged—Zoa, the Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden. Her sleek emerald body stretched like flowing ivy, butterfly wings shimmering with cruel radiance, and eyes that glowed like twin suns of life and decay.
She lowered her head, her breath washing over him like a thousand autumns collapsing at once.
Christopher didn't speak; instinct guided him. He raised a hand and pressed it against her snout. In that moment, his PSYQualia intertwined with the Zeroth Dragon's essence. He understood. The whispers of endings, of worlds devoured and reborn, coursed into him.
He snapped back to the library, card still in hand. His grip tightened. His heartbeat slowed, determination replacing all hesitation.
Christopher raised his head and locked eyes with Ryo.
"...This duel ends now."
He slammed the card onto his GIRS Board as sparks came out of the card.
"I discard my entire hand to activate the spell card—Zeroth Fusion!"
The Great Nature Library convulsed violently. The very foundations rumbled as the clan's emblem beneath their feet ignited in blinding green light. At the same time, a mirror emblem burned itself into Christopher's right hand.
"With this card, I Special Summon up to three Fusion Monsters from my Graveyard or Extra Deck, ignoring their conditions. They lose their powers, but that is irrelevant—for they are the foundation."
He raised his arm as the library's massive doors swung open, unleashing a roar of otherworldly energy.
"I already have Chatnoir on my field. From my Extra Deck, return to me—Immortality Professor, Sankalpa! Super Honorary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir!"
The two professors manifested, but their colors were leeched away, gray husks echoing their former glory. Even stripped, they stood resolute.
Super Honorary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir
Level 11 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Success 4500
ATK: 3400 → 0 / DEF: 2700 → 0
Immortality Professor, Sankalpa
Level 10 / EARTH / High-Beast / Fusion
ATK: 0 / DEF: 4000 → 0
Ryo narrowed his eyes, sensing the shift. "What are you planning...?"
Christopher didn't hesitate. His voice thundered like a verdict:
"With three Fusion monsters united, a Zeroth Dragon is born! If I fail here, not only do I lose the duel—I forfeit my life."
Pain seared through him. A six-pointed green star ignited across his chest, the mark of inevitability. Christopher grimaced, clutching it, but he didn't waver.
"I fuse Honorary Professor Chatnoir, Super Honrary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir, and Immortality Professor, Sankalpa!"
A dark, ancient door materialized within the library, looming taller than the shelves themselves. Its surface was etched with primal vines and decaying flowers. One by one, the professors entered its maw, their forms consumed.
Christopher extended his hand and recited the incantation, his voice both dreadful and majestic:
"From the cradle of life to the tomb of decay... all returns to the garden of endings!
Vines strangle, roots devour, and flowers bloom upon corpses of worlds!
Let the world embrace nature's silence!
Devour my future and manifest—Zoo's Zeroth Dragon!
FUSION SUMMON!!!
Reap all life! Level 12—Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden, Zoa!!!"
The library's glass roof exploded outward as Zoa descended, her butterfly wings scattering showers of glowing spores. With each flap, the very air thickened, crushing. Even Chimeratech Overdragon, the abomination of machines, reeled beneath her aura.
Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden, Zoa
Level 12 / WIND / Zeroth Dragon / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 5500 / DEF: 4500
"What is that dragon...?" Ryo whispered, his hands trembling. He could feel it—the oppressive gravity, the inevitability of decay.
Christopher's gaze was steel. "Zeroth Dragon. Pure nature, absolute destruction. Watch closely."
He raised a hand. "I activate Zoa's ability. She calls forth one monster of Success from my Extra Deck. Appear, Special Appointment Professor, Arasha!"
The doors opened again, and a small two-tailed cat wearing scholarly robes floated in atop a violet cushion, serene yet brimming with latent power.
Special Appointment Professor, Arasha
Level 8 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Success 4000
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2500
"And with Arasha's arrival—Zoa's true might awakens. Quintet Nine."
Christopher's words cut like blades of judgment. Arasha's ATK skyrocketed, leaping to unfathomable heights.
Special Appointed Professor, Arasha
ATK: 2500 → 99999 / DEF: 2500 → 99999
The library shook as if reality itself rejected the number. Ryo's eyes widened in horror.
"Ninety-nine... thousand?! For a mere cat—?!"
Christopher pointed forward, his voice unwavering.
"Arasha's effect. He can exchange his ATK with another. And the monster I choose..." His lips curled into a fierce grin. "...is Zoa."
The exchange was made. Arasha's ATK fell back down to 5500, while Zoa's swelled beyond mortal comprehension.
Special Appointment Professor, Arasha
ATK: 99999 → 5500
Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden, Zoa
ATK: 5500 → 99999
The emerald dragon roared, her wings unfolding like the very end of time.
Ryo stood frozen, realization hitting him like a thunderbolt. There was no surviving this. Not even his mechanical hydra could stand against such apocalyptic force.
Christopher thrust his arm forward.
"Battle! Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden, Zoa—obliterate Chimeratech Overdragon! Sunflower Gazer!!!"
Zoa opened her maw. From beneath the ruined library floor, an enormous sunflower bloomed, each petal brimming with golden energy. Its seeds crackled, charging, until finally—an immense yellow beam erupted, a lance of pure nature's wrath.
The ten-headed hydra screamed as each of its heads was consumed in the torrent. Metal melted, wires snapped, and in one cataclysmic blast, Chimeratech Overdragon was reduced to nothingness.
Ryo closed his eyes as the beam washed over him, a single thought escaping his lips in defeat:
"...Fubuki..."
His Life Points plummeted.
Ryo: 1000 → 0
The duel was over.
Winner: Christopher Lo.
-----
As the duel finally reached its end, the library dissolved into fragments of light. Christopher exhaled a long, shaky breath, his shoulders loosening with relief. That was by far the longest duel he had ever fought—longer even than the countless Cardfights that had once defined his days.
Before he could gather his thoughts, a sharp explosion rattled the air. His head whipped around in time to see Daiyusha driving the Obelisk Force into the ground with a decisive strike. Their forms scattered into blue particles, transported away by force. Yet, amidst the vanishing soldiers, Christopher also caught sight of another figure being pulled from the battlefield.
"Ryo..." Christopher murmured, the name slipping out before he could stop it. His brow furrowed, frustration and regret twisting in his chest. He had questions—so many questions he wanted to hurl at the man—but that chance was ripped from him as quickly as it had appeared. With a quiet sigh, he turned and walked toward Kenji and the others, who had regrouped after their own battles.
"Well, that took you long enough." Satoru's blunt remark cut through the air, catching Christopher off guard.
"What?" Christopher blinked.
Kenji stepped in, his tone more measured. "While you were locked in your duel with Ryo, we wrapped ours up quickly. Not long after, another wave of Obelisk Force came. We fought them off... then another wave arrived. We just finished driving them back."
Christopher gave a sheepish chuckle. "Guess I missed quite a lot, huh?"
"How many turns did it take you?" Yuri asked with curiosity, his expression halfway between intrigue and amusement.
"Nine," Christopher admitted. "He pushed me to the edge every step of the way."
Yuri let out a low whistle. "Nine? Not bad. Normally, Ryo ends things in six."
Christopher smirked, pride glinting in his eyes despite the exhaustion weighing down his body. "Then I suppose lasting longer than most is its own kind of victory."
Their small reprieve ended as Gongenzaka's Duel Disk lit up with a message. He scanned it quickly, then lifted his head. "It's Yuya. He's sent us a location. We're to regroup immediately."
Everyone nodded, no hesitation between them. Together, they set off.
Meanwhile, on another battlefield, Yuya, Rin, Ashley, Kazuma, and Kazumi were caught in a relentless storm. Obelisk Forces swarmed them like roaches—every time one was struck down, two more seemed to appear. Ashley and Kazumi did their best to hold the front line, their cards flashing with desperate energy, but the strain showed in their eyes. Yuya, Rin, and Kazuma had yet to recover fully from their earlier fights, their movements sluggish, their stamina waning.
A sudden surge in enemy numbers forced Yuya to grit his teeth. "There's no end to them!"
Then, with dramatic flair, Sawatari made his grand entrance. "Stand aside, amateurs! The great Sawatari has arrived to turn the tide!" His monsters hit the field with explosive bravado, cutting down a wave of enemies. But despite his confidence, even his strength wasn't enough. The swarm pressed closer, overwhelming them on all sides.
Rin staggered, clutching her Duel Disk. "We... we can't hold out much longer..."
Ashley's arm trembled as she braced herself, teeth clenched. "Damn it... there's too many of them!"
For a heartbeat, despair settled like lead. And then—
A commanding voice rang out across the chaos.
"When an opponent's monster declares an attack—I Special Summon this card in Defense Position! As long as there are more monsters on the field, this card becomes your only target, and it cannot be destroyed! Protect them, Perdition Dragon—Rampart Dragon!"
The ground quaked as a surge of fire erupted before Sawatari. A crimson dragon descended, towering and defiant. Its wings blazed with molten flames, and in its left claw it raised a massive shield wreathed in fire. With a roar that split the sky, the dragon swung its shield down, intercepting the enemy's strike. The battlefield trembled as the attack dissipated harmlessly against the fiery barrier.
Perdition Dragon, Rampart Dragon
Level 4 / FIRE / Flame Dragon / Effect
ATK: 0 / DEF: 2500
Sawatari's eyes widened. "What the—?!"
The others turned toward the source of the summoning voice. And when Rin saw who stood there, her heart nearly stopped. Her eyes blurred with tears, overflowing before she could hold them back.
"Ryuki..." she whispered, her voice breaking.
Then louder, raw and unrestrained, she cried out with joy.
"Ryuki!"
The name carried over the battlefield like a rallying cry. Her boyfriend had arrived—not just as a duelist, but as their long-awaited reinforcement.
And for the first time in what felt like hours, hope flared to life.
To be continued...
Cards used in the duel:
Golden Holy Sword, Gurguit
Level 8 / LIGHT / Warrior / Synchro / Effect / Unite
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2200
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner LIGHT monsters
If this card is Synchro Summoned: Special Summon 1 LIGHT Monster from your hand or graveyard and that monster gains 500 ATK.
Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can send 1 LIGHT Warrior to your GY; negate the activation of a Spell/Trap Card that targets this card or another LIGHT monster you control.
If this card destroys a monster by battle: Draw 1 card. If it is a 'Unite' Monster, Special Summon it, and that monster gains 300 ATK.
Unite: If 2 or more monsters were Special Summoned this turn: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower LIGHT attribute monster from your Deck in Defense Position. If the monster summoned has 'Unite' that monster switches to attack position and that card gain 1000 ATK.
Holy Sword of Heavenly Law, Gurguit
Level 10 / LIGHT / Warrior / Synchro / Effect / Unite
ATK: 3300 / DEF: 2800
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner Synchro monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: Reveal the top 7 cards in your deck, and Special Summon any number of 'Unite' Monsters revealed to the field and those monsters gain 500 ATK. Return the rest to the deck and shuffle it.
Once per turn: When this card attacks, reveal the top 2 cards in your deck and add it to your hand. If the card is a 'Unite' Monster, your opponent can't activate card effects in response to this cards attack.
Unite: This card gains 400 ATK for every 'Unite' Monster in the field and your 'Unite' Monsters aside from this card gains 200 ATK.
Player of the Holy Harp, Nimane
Level 1 / LIGHT / Spellcaster / Tuner / Effect / Unite
ATK: 100 / DEF: 100
When this card is Special Summoned: You can gain 500 LP for each LIGHT monster you control.
Once per turn: Target 1 monster in your field and decrease that monsters level by 1 and increase this cards level by 1.
If this card is used to Synchro Summon a "Gurguit" Synchro Monster, you gain 200 LP equal to the level of the non-tuner monsters used to Synchro Summon.
Unite: Switch this card to defense position and your opponent can only attack this card. If 3 or more monsters were special summoned this turn, this card cannot be destroyed.
Holy Mage, Lavinia
Level 4 / LIGHT / Elf / Effect / Unite
ATK: 0 / DEF: 0
When your opponent declares an attack, Special Summon this card from your hand and your opponent ends the battle phase. At the end of the battle phase, draw 1 card for every LIGHT Monster in the field.
Unite: When this card is Special Summoned and you have 2 or more monsters that were Special Summoned in your last turn, this card returns to your hand instead, but it cannot be used until your next turn.
Knight of Insolation, Carinus
Level 3 / LIGHT / Warrior / Effect / Unite
ATK: 1300 / DEF: 800
When this card is Special Summoned: If there are 2 or more monsters in your opponents field; halve its ATK until the end of this turn.
Once per turn: You can increase this card's Level by 1.
Unite: If you have a "Gurguit" Synchro Monster in your field, choose 1 monster in your field with a different name and return that card to the deck and this card gains that monsters ATK.
Knight of Morning Sun, Edadus
Level 4 / LIGHT / Warrior / Effect / Unite
ATK: 1500 / DEF: 1500
When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can target 1 LIGHT monster in your GY; shuffle it into the Deck, then draw 1 card.
Unite: If this card is Special Summoned, this card gains 200 ATK for every "Unite" Monster in your field and this card can attack twice this Battle Phase.
Knight of Autumn Light, Regan
Level 4 / LIGHT / Warrior / Effect / Unite
ATK: 1600 / DEF: 1000
When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: You can target 1 LIGHT monster in your GY; add it to your hand.
Unite: When this card attacks and you have a Synchro Monster in your field, this card gains 1000 ATK.
Knight of Sunny Day, Salonius
Level 4 / LIGHT / Warrior / Effect / Unite
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 2000
If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can target 1 LIGHT monster in your GY; add it to your hand.
Once per turn: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower LIGHT monster from your hand.
Unite: If there is a "Gurguit" Synchro Monster in your field, all "Unite" monsters gain 1000 ATK. If there are 3 or more Special Summoned monsters, all monsters in your field cannot be affected by card effects.
Knight of Trembling Prowess, Druis
Level 5 / LIGHT / Warrior / Effect / Unite
ATK: 2300 / DEF: 1300
If this card is Special Summoned from the GY: You can target up to 2 cards your opponent controls; destroy them.
This card gains 200 ATK for each LIGHT monster in your GY.
Unite: This card cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects this turn.
Glorious Charge (Normal Spell)
Special Summon 1 LIGHT Warrior monster from your hand or GY. If there a LIGHT Synchro Monster, you can Special Summon 2 instead. You can only activate 1 "Glorious Charge" per turn.
Shining Tune (Normal Spell)
Once per turn: Target 1 level 4 or lower LIGHT Monster in your field and treat it as a Tuner for the rest of the turn.
Haos and Darkus Diagnum (Quick-Play Spell)
Target 1 LIGHT attribute monster in your field and target 1 DARK attribute monster in your opponents field and your monster gain that monsters name and effects until the end phase.
Odd-Eyes Frenzy (Normal Trap)
Activate this when an Odd-Eyes monster attacks. When the attacking Odd-Eyes monster declares an attack and its level is higher than its opponents, this card can attack all monsters in the field.
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir
Level 8 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect / Success 4000
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2300
2 High-Beast Monsters
When this card is Fusion Summoned and there is a Monster in your Spell/Trap Zone, this card gain 1000 ATK.
When this card attacks and there is a Monster in your Spell/Trap Zone, this card gains 200 ATK equal to the level of that monster.
Once per turn: Select 2 Monsters in your field and they gain 1000 ATK. After the End Phase, those cards are sent to the GY.
Success 4000: When this card becomes Successful, draw and check the top 2 cards in your deck. If it's a 'Success' Monster, add 1 card from your deck to your hand and this card can attack again.
Super Honorary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir
Level 11 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect / Success 4500
ATK: 3400 / DEF: 2700
Honorary Professor, Chatnoir + 2 High-Beast Monsters
When this card is Fusion Summoned, place 2 'Success' Monsters from your deck to your Spell/Trap Zones and those cards gain 500 ATK.
Once per turn: When this card attacks and 'Honorary Professor, Chatnoir' is in the GY, this card gains 1000 ATK, and choose 2 Monsters in your field and they gain 800 ATK. At the End Phase, destroy those cards.
Success 4500: When this card becomes Successful, after this card attacks, Return this card to the Extra Deck and Special Summon 'Honorary Professor, Chatnoir' from the GY and that card gains 2000 ATK, and becomes Successful.
Special Appointment Professor, Arasha
Level 8 / WIND / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect / Success 4000
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2500
2 High-Beast Monsters
When this card is Fusion Summoned, choose 2 monsters in your field and those cards gains 600 ATK.
Once per turn: When a monster in the Spell/Trap Zone activate its effect, that card gains 1000 ATK. At the End Phase, destroy that card.
Success 4000: When this card becomes Successful, by not attacking, this card can swap its ATK to one monster in your field.
Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden, Zoa
Level 12 / WIND / Zeroth Dragon / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 5500 / DEF: 4500
3 'Success' 'Bloom' or 'Dark Device' Fusion Monsters
This card can only be Fusion Summoned by using "Zeroth Fusion". If summoned that way, this card is unaffected to card effects.
When this card is Fusion Summoned, your opponent cannot add any cards into their hand and cannot activate card effects from their hand or graveyard.
Once per turn: Special Summon one 'Success', 'Bloom' or 'Dark Device' Monster from your Extra Deck or Graveyard, ignoring summoning conditions and their ATK and DEF will turn to 99999 and cannot be destroyed by card effects.
When this card attacks a monster, that monster cannot be destroyed and you win the duel.
If you fail to end the duel when this card is summoned, You lose the duel.
If you use "Zeroth Fusion", you lose 2 turns after you summon this card instead of after the turn you summon it.
Immortality Professor, Sankalpa
Level 10 / EARTH / High-Beast / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 0 / DEF: 4000
3 High-Beast Monsters
When a High-Beast monster is targeted for an attack, you can Fusion Summon this card by discarding monsters in your hand or using materials in your field or monsters in your spell/trap zones.
When this card is summoned, target 1 High-Beast monster in your field and that card gains 500 ATK or DEF for every open monster zone and spell/trap zone in your field. If the chosen monster's ATK or DEF increase exceeds 4000, your opponent ends the Battle Phase.
At the End Phase, return this card to the Extra Deck and draw 3 cards.
Errand Somali
Level 2 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 1500
ATK: 500 / DEF: 500
If this card is in the Spell/Traps Zone and you have a 'Honorary Professor' in the field, this card gains 500 ATK.
Success 1500: When this card becomes Successful, when this card transfers its ATK to a 'Honorary Professor' Monster, this cards' ATK is doubled instead.
Sitter Bobtail
Level 3 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 1000
ATK: 0 / DEF: 0
When your opponent declares an attack, Special Summon this card from your hand. If there are 3 or more 'Success' Monsters in your field, your opponent can only target this card and all battle damage is negated, and this card gains 500 DEF for every 'Success' Monster in the Spell/Trap Zone.
Success 1000: When this card becomes Successful, if this card leaves the field, draw 1 card.
Animal Clip Lesser
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 2000
ATK: 1400 / DEF: 1500
If this card is placed in the Spell/Trap Zone, this card gains 400 ATK. If there is a 'High-Beast' Fusion Monster in the field, this ATK gain is doubled instead.
Success 2000: When this card is Successful, at the End Phase, send this card to the GY and return 1 card from the GY to the deck and draw 1 card.
Body Faction, Maox
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 2500
ATK: 1300 / DEF: 1700
If this card is Special Summoned in your Spell/Trap Zone, this card gains 700 ATK.
Once per turn: Choose 1 'Success' Monster in your field and they gain 500 ATK and at the End Phase, destroy this card.
Success 2500: When this card is sent to the GY, draw 1 card. But when this card is destroyed while Successful, return this card to the deck instead.
Chalk Eraser, Fennec
Level 4 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 3000
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 1400
Once per turn: If this card is Summoned or placed in the Spell/Trap Zone, Choose 2 Monsters and they gain 800 ATK.
Success 3000: When this card becomes Successful, all monsters gain 400 ATK for every card in the Spell/Trap Zone. At the End Phase, destroy this card and draw 1 card.
Travelling Momonga
Level 3 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 2000
ATK: 1300 / DEF: 900
When this card is Summoned, switch this card in defense position and all monsters gain 400 ATK. At the End Phase, destroy this card.
Once per turn: Search the top 3 cards in your deck and if one of them is a 'Success' Monster, this card gains 600 ATK.
By releasing this card from the field, Special Summon 'Problem Child, Bigbelly' from the deck and that card becomes Successful.
Success 2000: When this card is Successful, search your deck for a 'Success 2000' Monster from your deck and Special Summon it and that card gains 500 ATK.
Treatise Panther
Level 5 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 3000
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 2000
If you have a 'Honorary Professor' Fusion Monster in the field, place this card in the Spell/Trap Zone and this card gains 500 ATK.
Once per turn: Choose 1 'Success' Monster and that card gains 400 ATK. At the End Phase, destroy that monster and draw 1 card.
Success 3000: When this card is Successful and this card is in the Spell/Trap Zone, you can place this card in the Monster Zone and this card gains 1000 ATK.
Bootcamp Cyrmic
Level 5 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 3000
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 2500
If there is a 'Honorary Professor' Fusion Monster in the field, Special Summon this card and this card gains 600 ATK.
Once per turn: Discard a card from your hand and this card can switch its ATK and DEF, and any ATK increase will remain on ATK.
Success: When this card becomes Successful, When this card attacked and there is a 'Honorary Professor' Monster in the field, return this card to your hand and that card can attack again.
Bicolor Baku
Level 4 / DARK / High-Beast / Effect / Success 2000
ATK: 1000 / DEF: 2300
When this card is Summoned, add 1 Spell/Trap Card from your deck to your hand.
If this card is Unsuccessful, target 1 monster on your field and send it back to the deck and shuffle it.
Success 2000: When this card is Successful, add 2 Spell/Trap Cards from your GY to your hand and this card negates 2 Spell/Traps in your opponent's field.
Research Student, Muffin
Level 5 / EARTH / High-Beast / Effect / Success 3000
ATK: 1900 / DEF: 1900
If this card is placed in your Spell/Trap Zone and you have a 'Honorary Professor' Fusion Monster in the field, this card gains 200 ATK equal to this cards Level.
Success 3000: When this card becomes Successful, by sending this card back to the deck, all Successful Monsters cannot be destroyed.
Great Nature Library (Field Spell)
Once per turn: You can add 1 Success monster from your Deck to your hand. If a Honorary Professor monster becomes Successful, all your Success monsters gain 600 ATK this turn.
Cunning Curriculum (Quick-Play Spell)
During damage calculation: Target 1 monster you control; it gains 1000 ATK or DEF until the end of the Battle Phase. If that monster is in the Spell/Trap Zone, negate the attacking monster's effect this battle.
Successor's Pride (Normal Trap)
Target 1 Successful monster; it gains 1500 ATK once per battle and is unaffected by your opponent's card effects and cannot be destroyed. If it destroys a monster, draw 1 card.
Nature's Punishment (Normal Trap)
If your opponent declares an attack while you control a Successful monster: Negate the attack, then destroy 1 card your opponent controls.
Graduate Defense (Normal Trap)
When an opponent's activates a card effect or attacks a Success monster: Negate that effect or attack and banish 1 card from your opponent's GY.
Fusion Seminar (Normal Spell)
Fusion Summon 1 Honorary Professor Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand, field, Spell/Trap Zone, or Deck as Fusion Material. You can only use 1 monster from the Deck this way.
Research Integration (Normal Spell)
Fusion Summon 1 High-Beast or Wild Dragon Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck using monsters from your field, hand, or Spell/Trap Zone. If you used a monster from the Spell/Trap Zone, that Fusion Monster gains 1000 ATK.
Perdition Dragon, Rampart Dragon
Level 4 / FIRE / Flame Dragon / Effect
ATK: 0 / DEF: 2500
When an opponents monster declares an attack, Special Summon this card in defense position. And if there are more monsters in your opponent's field, they can only attack this card and this card cannot be destroyed. At the End Phase, return this card to the deck and draw 1 card.