"The Chariot, direct attack!"
The Chariot's tendrils danced again, its twin arm cannons locked on target. The barrels roared, flames spat forth, and the blast hurtled straight toward Kira.
Kira's field was empty now—his back row blown away by Heavy Storm, his front row cleared. There seemed to be no escape. But he calmly pulled out a card from his hand.
"I discard 'Kiteroid' from my hand," Kira said casually. "Kiteroid's effect: by discarding it from the hand, you can make the battle damage from one direct attack 0."
The monster card hit the Graveyard. The invincible kite's translucent image appeared on his field, with confident anthropomorphic eyes. The double volley smashed into the kite-shield, bursting fire and smoke—no damage.
"Dodged it?" Sartorius frowned. "But I'm not done attacking yet. Finally, the monster you so kindly donated—the Ra's Disciple—direct attack!"
The Ra's Disciple soared and threw a punch straight at Kira's face. Kira didn't dodge; he closed his eyes and ate the hit calmly.
[Kira, LP 4000 → 2900]
"You may think that as long as this Ra's Disciple is on the field, my actions will be blocked and I can't do anything... but my destiny won't be stopped by something like this!"
Sartorius played a Quick-Play Spell.
"Activate 'Book of Moon' to change any monster on the field to face-down Defense Position. I'll use it on the Ra's Disciple!"
The Ra's Disciple folded its banners, crouching face-down.
"Oh? Not bad," Kira nodded. "Indeed, for most face-down monsters, if you can't confirm what they are, their effects are essentially inert.
With the Ra's Disciple face-down, it can be used as Tribute, and the Special Summon restriction is gone."
Sarina looked complexly at the man wearing her brother's face.
She knew his dueling had surpassed her old brother by far. Even she hadn't expected the current Sartorius to be this strong, and she couldn't help feeling nervous—would the Duel King be able to defeat this evil persona and return her brother?
If not...
She didn't dare continue the thought.
"Now that my Summon restrictions are lifted, I activate the Spell 'Fiend's Sanctuary' from my hand!"
Sartorius revealed the card.
"Fiend's Sanctuary Special Summons a Metal Fiend Token to the field!"
A magical seal opened on his field; a tiny metal figure coalesced in golden light.
[Metal Fiend Token, ATK 0]
"And I still haven't performed my Normal Summon this turn—"
Sartorius threw back his head and laughed.
"Now I'll show you why fate is absolutely unstoppable. Behold the power of absolute destiny!
I Tribute the face-down Ra's Disciple and the Metal Fiend Token!
Appear, the absolute Arcana that rules time and manipulates fate—Arcana Force XXI—"
—"ZA WARUDO (The World)!"
Kira's eyelid twitched.
He felt his DNA stir the moment he heard that voice...
Yes—Sartorius's GX voice actor is Takehito Koyasu, who also famously played DIO in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, known for that distinctive "ZA WARUDO" when activating time stop.
Non-card nerds might not know he shouted the same "ZA WARUDO" in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. It's likewise the card embodying the Tarot "The World," and its effect even resembles time stop.
[Arcana Force XXI - The World, ATK 3100]
"The World is the strongest monster—top-class in both offense and defense—even stronger stats than the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
Sartorius laughed.
"And now, behold The World's absolute might!
When an Arcana Force is Summoned, it rotates to determine head or tail, and gains effects accordingly.
Naturally, it's head!"
The card rotated, stopping above that towering metal form—head, as he claimed.
"Then I go straight to the End Phase."
Sartorius chuckled darkly, then flung his arms wide.
"Now, at this turn's End Phase, The World's head effect activates! By sending two monsters you control to the Graveyard, you skip your opponent's next turn!"
Sarina's pupils tightened, stunned.
Skipping the opponent's entire turn—what a terrifying ability.
It was like...
Yes—like stopping the opponent's time so only you can act freely.
She was certain: her brother's old Arcana Force didn't include XXI, nor such an outrageous power.
"I send Arcana Force IV - The Emperor and Arcana Force VII - The Chariot to the Graveyard—ultimate ability—"
"—ZA WARUDO!"
The World blazed, a powerful wave erupting, like an invisible hand seizing control of the field.
Clocks seemed to appear in midair; in the BGM you could almost hear gears turning and hands spinning. The Duel Disk display flicked to Kira's Draw Phase, then Standby, then Main, without pausing for him to act; time hurtled forward madly.
It only stopped upon reaching Sartorius's next Standby Phase.
"Though it's your turn, your time has been frozen. You can't draw, can't act—straight to my next turn!
My turn—draw!"
Sartorius drew, laughing in triumph.
"See? This is the absolute power that bends destiny to my will, even time itself in my palm! What can a mere human 'king' do against me!?
This is the final blow! Perish in frozen time—"
"—Arcana Force XXI - The World—direct attack!"
The World's annihilating strike thundered toward Kira like a tidal wave.
Having had his whole turn skipped, Kira had no chance to set up—his field was empty. With 2900 LP remaining, if The World's attack connected, his fate was sealed.
But...
The invincible anthropomorphic kite reappeared, shielding Kira. The World's all-out blow crashed into the kite, which remained unscathed.
Sartorius: "!"
His meme-face twisted even further.
"Kiteroid... you had a second one?"
"Not a second," Kira smiled. "Kiteroid's effect: While it's in the Graveyard, once per duel, it can also make the battle damage from one direct attack 0."
He squinted and smiled.
"What's the matter, Sartorius? My time... seems to still be moving, doesn't it?"