The card he needs is one that temporarily contains the consciousness of "Lord of Striking Thunder"!
"Defeat it?" Morishima heard Tierra's voice, his expression twisted, clutching his arm, and shouted through clenched teeth, "Don't be so arrogant! A mere Spirit—The cards of the Three Phantasm surpass the existence of Spirits!"
"I'll show you the might of the Phantasms!"
Tierra felt her mechanical body about to go berserk. She pointed a finger at Morishima, lowered her voice, and said angrily, "Tenjo Hikari, create my card immediately. I may not be able to revive yet, but I still want him dead!"
Tenjo Hikari let out a couple of forced laughs.
The duel continued.
"I Normal Summon, V-Tiger Jet!" Morishima laid down a slightly malfunctioning mechanical tiger, with one wing already shattered.
V-Tiger Jet, LV 4, Light Attribute, Machine-Type, ATK 1600.
"Battle, attack Midrash with Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!"
"Thunder of Fallen!!"
A ghastly joy twisted his face.
He had seen Tenjo Hikari's Deck. It was a "Pure Fusion" Deck, with most of its cards focused on Fusion. The only resistance came from the "Flame Swordsdance" and "Salamandra with Chain" cards. Now, with no Flame Swordsman on the field and no triggered Special Summon of Flame Swordsdance, it meant his opponent had no means to resist!
If this attack lands, it would deal 2800 damage, and with a direct attack from V-Tiger Jet, he could secure victory!
"Excellent!" Dr. Union exulted as well, "You won, as expected of the Commander, easily accomplishing what other soldiers couldn't!"
"Heh heh heh, how naive!!" Tierra dropped the divine pretense and retorted, "Come, Tenjo Hikari, show him!"
Tenjo Hikari shrugged but didn't spoil Tierra's mood. He opened the Set Card: "Activate Set Card, Quick-Play Spell, Duality!"
"What?"
Morishima was stunned.
The lightning gathering in Hamon paused, the monstrous mouth gaping as it let out a low growl.
"The effect of Duality! You can only use the 1st and 2nd effects of this card name once per turn! By tributing 1 Light Attribute Monster or Dark Attribute Monster you control, Special Summon from your hand or Extra Deck 1 Light·Dark Attribute Monster of the same original Type and Level as that monster but with a different Attribute!"
"What?" Morishima was shocked, "Another Fusion Monster summoned without Fusion Material?"
"I send Midrash from the field to the Graveyard. From the Extra Deck, I Special Summon Musician King in Defense Position!"
The cold puppet mage transformed into light, and amid the radiance, a passionate man with a mohawk and a bare upper body playing a guitar appeared, laughing as he joined the scene.
Musician King, LV 5, Light Attribute, Spellcaster-Type, DEF 1500.
This card was brought out from the Secret Village of the Spellcasters by Tenjo Hikari. Despite being a Fusion Monster with no effect, its materials are the terrifying "Witch of the Black Forest" and "Lady of Faith."
"Then, Midrash's effect activates. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I add an [Shaddoll] Spell·Trap Card from the Graveyard to my hand. I add Shaddoll Fusion to my hand."
"Tch... always with the tricks." Morishima spat.
"Because the monster on my field has changed, it enters the battle rollback state. So, will you continue to attack, or will you relinquish your attack rights and let V-Tiger Jet attack?"
"Hmph, no need to remind me of such basic knowledge! Continuing the battle, Lord of Striking Thunder, crush that annoying musician!
Thunder of Fallen!"
Electricity converged, Lord of Striking Thunder roared, and lightning struck down, shattering the musician instantly.
"At this moment, Lord of Striking Thunder's effect activates! When this Phantasm destroys an opponent's Monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict 1000 damage to them!"
"Go, Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!"
"Penance in Hell!"
The wings of Lord of Striking Thunder churned, ice shards surged in, piercing through Tenjo Hikari. Fortunately, with Tierra by his side, there was no pain or bleeding despite the icy touch.
Tenjo Hikari LP: 4000→3000.
"Tsk, V-Tiger Jet, direct attack!"
The shattered robot charged at Tenjo Hikari with its fragmented body.
Tenjo Hikari LP: 3000→1400.
"Hahahaha, your life is like a candle in the wind. Soon, it'll be extinguished completely!" He laughed loudly. Without Midrash and with such little life left, a successful attack with Lord of Striking Thunder next turn would virtually clinch victory!
"Tenjo Hikari, if I attack that 1600 ATK V-Tiger Jet next turn, I should be able to finish it!" Tierra thought differently and said.
"Heh, that's impossible!" Even Dr. Union nearby couldn't help but chuckle, "With Hamon on the field, the opponent can't attack other Monsters, only it!"
"It has such an effect?"
Isn't that a Yubel's quirk? Next time...
Tenjo Hikari looked at Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, unfazed.
No, rather, its level didn't exceed my expectations at all.
Besides, this Hamon was already the full OCG version of the Lord of Striking Thunder. Its stability had significantly improved from before!
Sure enough, the previous ones were merely experimental, but this time it's a "product."
"Just in case..." noticing Tenjo Hikari looking at Hamon, Morishima frowned and said, "With Midrash gone from the field, I activate the effect of Frontline Base, once per turn from my hand, Special Summon an Alliance Monster!
I Special Summon W-Wing Catapult!"
Blue wings clattered to his feet.
"W-Wing Catapult can be equipped as an Equip Card to V-Tiger Jet, in which case, V-Tiger Jet's ATK increases by 400 points. If it's destroyed by battle or effect, W-Wing Catapult can be destroyed instead!"
"Equip it, W-Wing Catapult!"
Until now, Morishima, as the Alliance Dimension Guard Commander, retained significant rationality. While the existence of Phantasms did affect his mind, it couldn't erode a Duelist's logic.
Rather than fusing VW now, equipping W to V directly, strengthening defense, and waiting for the next turn's battle is the wise choice!
Moreover, Tenjo Hikari now has a Shaddoll Fusion in hand. If he fuses Monsters, Tenjo Hikari could deck-fuse again.
This is unacceptable!
V-Tiger Jet, ATK 1600→2000.
"Hmph, with that, end turn!"
He snorted coldly, then couldn't help but smile.
Now the professor's bounty and the promotion of his rank are no longer issues—
"Struggle all you want, Tenjo Hikari!"
"Hahahaha!"
Tenjo Hikari raised an eyebrow.
"Rationality, acuity, calmness, even with overwhelming superiority, knows how to be cautious, possessing great Spirit Adaptability, strong enough to barely resist the Phantasm's corruption..." Tenjo Hikari analyzed his opponent, "Judging simply as a Duelist, you indeed deserve to be called a strong Duelist..."
"Tenjo Hikari, even now thinking of begging my forgiveness, that's impossible!" Morishima sneered.
"Heh," Tenjo Hikari shook his head, "Precisely because of your strength, you are all the more unforgivable!
A person like you, I bet, does such things willingly from the bottom of your heart!"
Such things?
Morishima heard Tenjo Hikari's words, glanced around at the surrounding pitiful Mechanical Spirits, laughed without answering, but it was telling.
Tenjo Hikari's face grew colder, and a faint purple flame flickered on his body.
"Hmph, as expected, there's no need to reason with people like you!
I'll crush you all completely here!"