"Her Life Points actually surpassed his!"
"Could it be… she might really beat a second-year student?"
"That was incredible! First, her Stratos defeated Black Veloci, and then during the Battle Phase she activated the Quick-Play Spell Order to Charge—so that senior wouldn't have a 'Tribute' left to activate Qoatlus's effect—then destroyed Qoatlus with it, and finally let her strongest monster, Card Trooper, finish the attack! Every move was linked perfectly—what an amazing chain of plays!"
"No way, absolutely not! A 'Nameless One' could never have the upper hand against a second-year! This has to be fake!"
"Tsk, such annoying chatter."
Kexi shot a cold glance at the freshmen who wouldn't stop murmuring the moment his Life Points dropped sharply. The fierce aura he had before was gone—replaced by calm, as if Yuui's last move had snapped him back to reality.
Seeing this change, Yuui raised an eyebrow.
He wanted to strike Kexi harder, but since all his monsters had already attacked, there was nothing more he could do. So he simply said, "Turn end. Card Trooper's Attack returns to normal."
[Card Trooper, ATK: 1900 → 400]
"My turn… Draw!!"
A surge of magic burst from Kexi's body. As his card sliced through the air, it left behind a streak of violet light.
Alicia: "Yuui-san, why do I feel like he's changed somehow!"
"Because now he's serious," Yuui answered inwardly, his eyes narrowing.
Kexi glanced at the drawn card, then swept his arm out. "I activate my face-down card—Trap Card, Survival Instinct! I banish any number of Dinosaur monsters from my Graveyard, and for each one, I gain 400 Life Points!
"I choose to banish Black Veloci, Miracle Jurassic Egg, and Kaitoptera—three monsters—so I recover 1200 Life Points!"
The shadows of three monsters rose from the Graveyard, turning into light that surged into Kexi's body. In an instant, his Life Points once again surpassed Yuui's.
[Kexi, LP: 1700 → 2900]
Alicia: Ugh, no! Yuui-san worked so hard to push his Life Points under 2000, and now they're back up again!
"No…" Yuui's eyes flickered as he muttered, "He's not focused on his Life Points—it's something else."
Alicia: "[・_・] Something else?"
The next second, they heard Kexi shout, "At this moment, Kaitoptera's final effect activates! When this card is banished, I can Special Summon it! Then, I can add one Polymerization from my Graveyard to my hand! I choose Polymerization!"
As he spoke, light shot out from the Banished Zone and reformed into Kaitoptera on the field.
[Kaitoptera, ATK: 1400]
Then the Spell Polymerization slid out from the Graveyard. Kexi took it up, glaring coldly at Yuui. "Don't think you can defeat me that easily, freshman. This Duel is far from over!"
He thrust his hand forward. "I Normal Summon Souleating Oviraptor!"
Pale-blue flames burst from the ground, and a twisted raptor covered in black runes emerged.
[Souleating Oviraptor, ATK: 1800]
"Oviraptor's effect activates! When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add 1 Dinosaur monster from my Deck to my hand, or send it to the Graveyard! I choose to add Sabersaurus!"
Drawing the card, Kexi revealed the Polymerization in his hand. "Now I activate Polymerization! I fuse Kaitoptera on my field with Souleating Oviraptor in order to Fusion Summon! Fusion materials: Kaitoptera plus a Dinosaur or Dragon monster!
"From the depths of Hell, return and bring endless nightmares to my enemies—Fusion Summon! Roar forth—Horned Saurus!!"
"ROAR!!"
The dark-winged beast roared amid a violent storm—it had returned once more!
[Horned Saurus, ATK: 2000]
Alicia: "ヽ(￣▽￣)ノ Even with 2000 Attack and the ability to attack directly, we still have 2100 Life Points left! We can take it, Yuui-san! We're going to win!"
Seeing the black pterosaur return, Alicia—already familiar with its effects—actually seemed relieved.
Albeit Yuui wasn't so optimistic. "You didn't forget this dinosaur has other effects, did you?"
Alicia: "[・_・?] Other effects? Doesn't it just attack directly the turn it's Special Summoned, make an extra Summon, and also set a Field Spell from the Deck or Grave—wait, from the Graveyard!! Yuui-san, don't tell me…!!"
"Yeah. During a Duel, never forget what your opponent said about their monster's effects."
As if to confirm Alicia's realization, Kexi bellowed, "Horned Saurus's effect activates! When this card is Fusion Summoned, I can place one Field Spell from my Deck or Graveyard face-up in my Field Zone! I choose the Field Spell Jurassic World from my Graveyard!"
At his roar, magic energy surged—and the entire arena once again transformed into an ancient Jurassic jungle.
"Field Spell Jurassic World's effect: All face-up Dinosaur monsters on the field gain 300 Attack and Defense!"
[Horned Saurus, ATK: 2000 → 2300]
Alicia: This is bad, Yuui-san! That ugly bald bird can attack directly, and we only have 2100 Life Points left… we're gonna lose!
While Alicia panicked, Yuui stayed composed. Meanwhile, Kexi glared at him and said coldly, "You haven't forgotten Horned Saurus's other effect, right, freshman?"
"This monster can attack directly on the turn it's Special Summoned, and my Life Points are only 2100… You're saying I'll lose the moment you attack, aren't you?" Yuui said evenly.
"Exactly. You've shown real skill, freshman! With the power you've demonstrated, you already surpass most second-years in Saint Fusion Academy—you're truly strong! Those people who mocked you earlier just because you're a 'Nameless One'—they don't understand what strength really is. People like that don't deserve to be called Duelists!"
Kexi's sudden praise left numerous spectators dumbfounded. The instructors who knew him were even more shocked… this problem student had never acknowledged anyone before!
And those examinees who had mocked Alicia for being a Nameless One now reddened in embarrassment.
Kexi raised his fist and shouted like thunder, "This is Saint Fusion Duelist Academy—a place where strength in Duels is all that matters! Here, we don't care about background, family name, or connections! Freshman! As long as you're strong, you can gain everything you desire! You have that potential!
"But before that—you'll have to surpass me, Kexi Arce!"
Then he revealed another card. "Horned Saurus's other effect activates! Once per turn, during my Main Phase, I can conduct a Normal Summon of a Dinosaur or Dragon monster! I choose to Summon the Sabersaurus in my hand!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!
Thunderous tremors echoed through the jungle, and a massive crimson triceratops-like beast with blade-like horns charged onto the field.
[Sabersaurus, ATK: 1900 → 2200]
By this point, most of the onlookers were convinced the outcome was decided.
After all, Yuui (Alicia) only had Elemental HERO Stratos with 1800 Attack and Card Trooper with 400 Attack on the field—no Set cards in the back row, and only one card in hand: Elemental HERO Avian.
Under such circumstances, everyone thought Yuui (Alicia) had no chance left. Especially Instructor White Evans, who knew Stratos's effect well.
That Hero was strong, yes; despite that, it had no ability capable of changing this situation.
He sighed. "What a shame… such good skill, and such a serious attitude toward Duels. But it seems the academy isn't meant for her after all."
Right then, Kexi waved his hand and shouted, "It's over! Enter Battle Phase! Horned Saurus's effect—since it was Special Summoned this turn, it can attack directly! I attack you directly with Horned Saurus—Infernal Assault Dive!!"
SHAA!!
The dark-gray wyvern let out a piercing roar, spreading its wings and soaring high above, then swooping straight toward Yuui, passing right over his two monsters.
Seeing this, many of those who had doubted Alicia for being a 'Nameless One' grinned in excitement—but their smiles froze in the next instant.
Yuui raised his hand calmly. "From my Graveyard, I activate the effect of the monster card Necro Gardna! During your turn, by banishing this card from my Graveyard, I can negate one attack from your monster this turn! I banish Necro Gardna to negate your Horned Saurus's attack!"
"What!!?"
Amidst countless gasps, the phantom of a white-haired warrior in crimson armor appeared before Yuui, taking the full brunt of the black wyvern's devastating dive head-on.
Alicia blinked in surprise, confused. "Necro Gardna… Yuui-san, when did that card even end up in the Graveyard?"
"When Card Trooper sent cards from the Deck earlier… you were too busy admiring Burstinatrix's figure to notice."
Alicia looked aside, giggling sheepishly. "Hehe! (¯▽¯)"
"Next time, pay closer attention. Every single card in a Duel matters."
Alicia: "Yes, Yuui-san!"
Meanwhile, Kexi scowled as he watched Necro Gardna fade away. "An effect monster activated from the Graveyard, huh… that's quite the surprise."
Yuui replied evenly, "Can't help it. I'm broke, so I have to rely on cheap cards."
In Yuui's eyes—back when he was just a Duelist geek—Necro Gardna was a decent Graveyard trap. Regardless, in this world, it really was just a low-value common card.
"I see." Kexi glanced at Alicia's tattered, dusty outfit, clearly worn from countless Duels. It was obvious her clothes were cheap. Coupled with her 'Nameless One' status, she probably didn't have much to spare. Using a card like Necro Gardna made perfect sense.
"But even if you blocked the first attack, you can't stop the second!" Kexi snapped. "Sabersaurus, attack Card Trooper—Horn Charge!!"
The crimson triceratops charged forward on its thick legs. Card Trooper lifted its arms, firing two cannon blasts, which struck Sabersaurus—but its Attack was far too low. The explosions barely made the dinosaur flinch.
Moments later, Sabersaurus rammed straight into Card Trooper, its sharp horns piercing through the machine's body.
Alicia: "Yuui-san!!"
"Got it!"
Without needing Alicia's warning, Yuui had already braced himself for impact. The instant Card Trooper was impaled, it exploded violently. The shockwave threw Alicia's slender body backward over a meter before she managed to land.
If Yuui didn't have plenty of experience getting blasted like this, he probably would've fallen over himself.
[Yuui, LP: 2100 → 300]
As soon as he steadied himself, Yuui immediately raised his arm. "Right now, Card Trooper's other effect activates! When it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I draw one card!"
He drew, glanced at the card, and raised an eyebrow slightly, saying nothing.
Kexi, meanwhile, watched 'Alicia' stand unfazed despite taking 1800 battle damage—without so much as a grunt—and couldn't help thinking she must have nerves of steel.
In a Duel, the lower a Duelist's Life Points, the more intense the pain becomes.
Even he himself couldn't claim to be unaffected after that kind of hit. Yet 'Alicia' hadn't even flinched. That mental fortitude… he could only respect it.
Still, respect or not, the Duel had to continue. With all his monsters having attacked, Kexi simply declared his turn's end.
"My turn is over!"
Yuui brushed the dust off his clothes, returned to his position, and declared, "My turn—draw!!"
He drew the top card, and both he and Alicia looked at it.
Alicia: "Yuui-san, that card…"
"Yeah. Win or lose, this is our gamble. Otherwise, with what we have now, we'll definitely lose next turn." He raised his arm. "I Normal Summon Elemental HERO Avian!"
White feathers fell from above as a green, birdlike Hero with wide wings descended—the original Wind Hero, Elemental HERO Avian!
[Elemental HERO Avian, ATK: 1000]
"At this point, he's summoning that?" Kexi raised an eyebrow—abruptly, then realization dawned.
Yuui revealed another card. "I activate the Spell Card White Elephant's Gift! I send one non-Effect Monster I control to the Graveyard to draw two cards. I send Elemental HERO Avian from the field to the Graveyard and draw two cards!"
"Just replenishing your hand, huh?" Kexi scoffed. He watched as Avian vanished before even steadying its stance, and Yuui drew two new cards.
To Kexi, it didn't matter; there was no way Yuui could still turn this around.
...
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