"Another instance of effect damage?" Serena thought, looking at the Gem-Knight monster reappearing on Mizutani Ri's field.
"If 'Gem-Knight Lazuli' is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can target 1 card on my opponent's field; that card is returned to its owner's hand."
"I'm returning your 'Lunalight Panther Dancer' to the Extra Deck!"
"Now, I activate my Trap Card, 'Crossbow Squad'! I tribute one monster on my field to target and destroy one card on my opponent's field," Serena hurriedly activated her second face-down card.
"I'll tribute 'Lunalight Panther Dancer' to destroy your 'Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli'!"
"Hmph, trying to escape?" Mizutani Ri sneered, playing the last card from her hand. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell, 'Forbidden Lance'!"
"I'll target one face-up monster on the field! Until the end of the turn, that monster loses 800 ATK, but it's unaffected by the effects of other Spell and Trap Cards."
Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli ATK: 2400 → 1600
A golden spear descended from the sky, transforming into a shield of light that blocked the arrow made from Lunalight Panther Dancer.
"I activate the effect of 'Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli'!"
"Once per turn, I can send one 'Gem-Knight' monster from my Deck or Extra Deck to the Graveyard to inflict 500 damage to my opponent for each special summoned monster on the field."
"I'll send 'Gem-Knight Garnet' from my Deck to the Graveyard! There are now five monsters on the field, so that's a total of 2500 points of damage! Even if your Trap card halves it, that's still 1250 damage! Die!" Mizutani Ri roared.
"I activate the effect of the Trap Card 'Damage Diet' in my Graveyard! By banishing this card, any effect damage I take this turn is halved!"
Serena LP: 1000 → 375
Although the Trap Card saved Serena's life, the dust kicked up by the continuous explosions still left her covered in soot.
"It's just a useless struggle! Battle!" Mizutani Ri waved her hand, entering her Battle Phase.
"'Gem-Knight Zirconia', attack 'Tornado Dragon'!"
The expressionless rock warrior brandished its rapier and destroyed Tornado Dragon with a single slash. The great dragon formed from the gales vanished into thin air.
"It's over! 'Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond', attack her directly!"
As she spoke, the female knight, her armor studded with diamonds, swung her longsword and charged toward Serena.
At this moment, the smiling faces of the children flashed through Serena's mind. Watching the longsword draw ever closer, her gaze became incredibly determined.
"This time, in the name of a warrior, I will protect everything behind me! Even if it costs me my entire past, I will not hesitate!"
"I activate my Trap Card, 'Dimensional Xyz'!" Serena revealed the last face-down card on her field.
"I target two monsters in my Graveyard with the same name and Level. I banish both of them, then Xyz Summon one Xyz Monster from my Extra Deck whose Rank is the same as the banished monsters' Levels. After that, this card becomes an Xyz Material for that monster."
"I banish the two 'Lunalight Emerald Bird' from my Graveyard! Xyz Summon!"
An ethereal vortex of stars slowly formed before Serena. The phantoms of two Lunalight Emerald Birds leaped into it, one after the other.
"Guardian of the moonlit fields, in the name of the moon, descend now! Become an unyielding shield and protect all that is behind me! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! 'Lunalight Dragon Dancer'!"
A pure white dragon's silhouette flashed through the vortex. A maiden in a simple white gauze dress slowly descended from within. Behind her, a pair of sacred dragon wings unfurled, scattering flecks of starlight.
Lunalight Dragon Dancer DEF: 2000
"You think a monster with only 2000 DEF can stop me? Crush this annoying Xyz Monster, Brilliant Diamond!"
The diamond-studded female knight charged forward fiercely once again, sword in hand. As she swung her blade down, the dragon wings behind Lunalight Dragon Dancer snapped shut, blocking the strike.
"I use Lunalight Dragon Dancer's effect! When this card would be destroyed by battle, I can banish a Fusion Monster from my Graveyard instead! I banish 'Lunalight Panther Dancer' from my Graveyard!"
The phantom of Panther Dancer appeared behind Dragon Dancer, transforming into a faint glimmer of light that shielded her.
"'Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli,' attack!" Her first attempt having failed, Mizutani Ri waved her hand again. The other 'Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli'—the one whose ATK hadn't been lowered by 'Forbidden Lance'—fired a deep blue beam of light at Dragon Dancer.
"Lunalight Dragon Dancer's effect! I'll banish 'Lunalight Cat Dancer' from the Graveyard to prevent this battle destruction!"
The beam struck the dragon wings fiercely, but Lunalight Dragon Dancer remained completely unharmed.
Now, only one monster on Mizutani Ri's field had yet to attack. However, the 'Forbidden Lance' she'd used to protect it from 'Crossbow Squad' had reduced its ATK to a mere 1600 points, not enough to destroy the 2000 DEF Lunalight Dragon Dancer.
"So you managed to cling to life with that cheap effect? But your 375 Life Points are like a candle in the wind. Let's hope your luck holds out next turn! I end my turn." Mizutani Ri gritted her teeth.
"My turn! I draw!" Ignoring Mizutani Ri's taunts, Serena drew a card with a determined expression.
"I switch 'Lunalight Dragon Dancer' to Attack Position!"
Lunalight Dragon Dancer DEF: 2000 → ATK: 0
"Zero ATK? Are you trying to commit suicide?" Mizutani Ri scoffed.
But soon, her smile froze.
"I activate Lunalight Dragon Dancer's effect! By detaching one Xyz Material, I can return my banished 'Lunalight' Fusion Monsters to the Extra Deck! Until the end of the turn, this card's ATK increases by the combined original ATK of the returned monsters! And for each monster returned, this card can make an additional attack this turn."
Lunalight Dragon Dancer hovered in mid-air. From the different dimension, the phantoms of the Cat Dancer and Panther Dancer appeared together, transforming into streams of light that surged into the winged dancer's body.
Lunalight Dragon Dancer ATK: 0 → 2400 → 5200
"Battle! 'Lunalight Dragon Dancer', attack 'Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli'!"
At Serena's command, Lunalight Dragon Dancer swung her hand, unleashing a pure white beam of light that shot straight toward the lapis lazuli knightess, shattering her to pieces.
Mizutani Ri LP: 4000 → 1200
"Thanks to its effect, Lunalight Dragon Dancer can attack again! This is the end! Go to Hell and atone for your atrocities! 'Lunalight Dragon Dancer', attack the other 'Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli'!"
In the sky, Lunalight Dragon Dancer's long hair fluttered in the wind as she swung her hand again, unleashing another pure white beam of light that struck the second 'Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli'.
The force of the explosion sent Mizutani Ri flying, and she crashed heavily onto the ground.
Mizutani Ri LP: 1200 → 0
...
With the duel between the generals largely settled, on the eastern battlefield, the king-versus-king battle between Yūga Hōzumi and Aster Phoenix was about to begin.
(end of chapter)