"You actually broke the World Lock. Not bad. Looks like your destiny isn't entirely a paper tiger."
Kira said.
"Then having you attack me next turn would be troublesome.
So, I'll use the Spell Card 'Tribute to The Doomed.' By discarding a card, I can destroy any monster on the field."
Kira discarded a card to the GY, then revealed the Spell in hand. Golden light burst from the card; white bandages lashed out like tentacles, binding Sartorius's demon tightly.
"I destroy Arcana Force XV - The Fiend."
The Fiend was mummified, let out a shriek, then detonated into a fireball—gone.
Sartorius muttered something under his breath at the fragments, indistinct but clearly not polite.
"Although during my End Phase I could Special Summon Samsara Lotus from the GY, it can only Special Summon itself in Attack Position. That'd be stupid.
So I won't activate Samsara Lotus's effect. I'll keep Treeborn Frog in Defense Position and set one card. Turn end."
"My turn. Draw."
Sartorius drew, eyed the Fool on his field, and bared his teeth—more and more annoyed by the sight.
This cursed thing: 0 ATK, can't be destroyed by battle, can't switch to Defense. And though he'd cracked the World Lock, he'd paid with LP left like a candle in the wind.
In other words, if the opponent summons anything with 900+ ATK and swings at the Fool, ignoring everything else, his destiny is toast.
Dying like that would be far too stupid.
Sartorius grit his teeth.
But it's his Arcana Force—his monster. Even crawling, he'd swallow it.
"I activate the Spell Card 'Card of Sanctity.' Both players draw until they have six cards in hand." (anime effect)
Sartorius refilled to six cards.
May these draws bring an escape.
At this level, a warrior of destiny always has a path so long as he can draw. His draw didn't disappoint; his lips curled.
"Heh… hahahaha, the goddess of fate is still on my side."
He raised his arm. A slot on his Duel Disk popped.
"Now, I activate the Field of Light, unleashing its full power—
—Field Spell: 'Light Barrier'!"
A white beam shot skyward, expanding until it covered the entire arena. The endless white formed a transparent barrier; even the background and sky were dyed pure white—only dazzling light remained, without a speck of blemish.
"In the field of Light Barrier, when any monster with 'Arcana Force' in its name is Summoned, you don't rotate the card—you can freely choose Head or Tail!"
At first glance this looks redundant—Sartorius seemed to choose Head/Tail at will anyway—but this Field is precisely proof that he isn't as confident in his destiny as he claims.
And indeed, in the anime, while Sartorius freely chose every rotation against Chazz, Aster, and in the first half versus Jaden, in the end, at a critical rotation, he choked.
That proves Sartorius's so-called destiny can misfire. Even if picking Head/Tail is his "superpower," against someone with sufficiently strong destiny—like Jaden—there's a non-zero chance of error.
At a high level, a single misstep can cost the match. Light Barrier exists to completely seal that possibility.
"Next, I activate the Spell 'Monster Reborn' to revive a monster from my GY."
The giant ankh symbol appeared above Sartorius's field, then seemed assimilated by the overwhelming light—turning pure white.
From it emerged a grotesque demon, with scythe-tipped tentacles, twisted form, three eyes brimming with malice.
"Arcana Force XV - The Fiend, revived from the GY!"
[Arcana Force XV - The Fiend, ATK 2500]
"Normally Arcana Forces rotate when Summoned, but thanks to Light Barrier, I don't need to. I can freely choose the Head effect.
Naturally, I choose the Fiend's Head!"
The card remained Head.
"Though The Fool is on my field, The Fool's effect is: 'When your opponent activates a coin-flip effect, they can choose the result.'
In other words, you can only decide my flips when you are flipping coins; you can't interfere with my Arcana effects."
Sartorius said.
Kira nodded. "I know."
"Battle! Arcana Force XV - The Fiend, attack Treeborn Frog!"
The Fiend's tentacles swung, scythes gleaming as they closed in.
"The Fiend's Head effect: when it attacks, it can target one monster on the field and destroy it," Sartorius said. "Destroy your Treeborn Frog!"
A boom; Treeborn Frog exploded into pieces.
"With your defenses gone, Fiend, direct attack!"
The scythe slashed. Kira raised his hand—his set card flipped.
"I activate my Trap—'Security Orb.' When an opponent's monster declares an attack, change that monster's battle position.
Arcana Force XV - The Fiend switches to Defense Position."
[Arcana Force XV - The Fiend, ATK 2500 → DEF 2500]
The Fiend's scythe halted mid-swing. The attack ceased; the monster crouched into a defensive stance.
"Tch, using cheap tricks again, huh."
Sartorius snorted.
"No matter. I'll let you live one more turn."
He slid out three cards.
"I set three cards to my backrow. Turn end."
"Three sets…"
Sarina glanced at the triple backrow and Sartorius's unshaken confidence. Her mind raced.
LP only 900, with a Fool that can't switch to Defense. One poke could kill him—so delaying should be worse for him. Yet he's so confident.
So his setup must include answers.
She looked at Kira, kept silent, and prayed inwardly, pinning her hopes on him.