Drytron, the goal Hikaru's group had come to this dimension for, was also something related to the Truesdale brothers, Zane and Syrus.
Hikaru had learned this by chance too. It turned out the Cyber Dragon series and the Drytron series were actually related series. Cards in Zane Truesdale's deck like "Born from Draconis" and "Cyber Eltanin" were both Drytron-related cards.
Earlier, when Syrus had come to him for help and showed him that "coordinate card," it had been precisely "Born from Draconis," which had been obtained from his big brother.
For this reason, Cyber Emergency appearing on the opposite side, whether for Syrus as the duelist or for the spectators watching the duel, wasn't particularly surprising.
The only surprising point was perhaps that this card was Set by "Kozmo," rather than being used by the Drytron deck itself.
"Surprised?" Wickedwitch noticed Yuma Tsukumo's expression. The corner of her mouth curled up, and she spoke coldly. "A team duel is a duel of two, so naturally we have to trust each other. Although my army and the Drytron army have always been at war, in an outward duel, we won't trip each other up."
Hearing this, Yuma looked as if he'd suddenly understood.
The spirits he'd encountered before had all been frenzied spirits under the Fusion army's control. He hadn't seen any cooperation between them at all. This was the first time seeing it.
It wasn't that he hadn't seen spirits before. He knew that duels with spirits caused genuine physical damage, which was why he'd summoned Utopia from the outset instead of using his Onomatopoeia monsters.
But since the other side had said as much, then he could of course understand.
After all, it wasn't that he couldn't cooperate with someone in a duel. It was just that today's duel hadn't been done that way.
The warrior Drytron had dispatched was a dragon-shaped robot shouldering two cannons, standing about two people tall in overall height. Its name was "Gamma Eltanin."
After activating Cyber Emergency, it began its own duel.
"Cyber Emergency's effect. Add 1 Cyber Dragon monster or 1 Machine LIGHT-Attribute monster that cannot be Normal Summoned from the Deck to the hand.
I add Drytron Zeta Aldhibah from my Deck to my hand. It's a monster that cannot be Normal Summoned and can only be Special Summoned by a Drytron card's effect."
Gamma Eltanin's voice was extremely crisp. It didn't sound like a mechanical dragon at all. To a certain degree, there was even a subtle sense of the sacred to it.
"I activate the effect of Zeta Aldhibah added to my hand. Tribute 1 Drytron monster or Ritual Monster in my hand or on the field other than this card to activate. Special Summon this card in Defense Position from my hand or Graveyard.
The turn this effect is activated, I cannot Special Summon monsters other than ones that cannot be Normal Summoned."
"I Tribute from my hand, Meteonis Quadrantid Drytron. Special Summon Zeta Aldhibah."
It picked up a blue monster card. A brilliant great dragon flashed behind it, then transformed into a meteor, flowing into its Graveyard.
Hikaru raised an eyebrow.
"Zeta Aldhibah Special Summoned by this effect can add 1 Ritual Spell Card from my Deck to my hand."
The starry sky began to twinkle. Above the enormous star vessel, dazzling rainbow light began to slowly flow, then gradually flow into its hand.
"Ritual Spell Card, Meteonis Drytron, added to my hand."
Dazzling starlight adorned the cosmos. Hikaru looked at that starlight, feeling a sense of exhilaration in his heart.
"So beautiful..." Cathy Katherine couldn't help murmuring in low admiration.
As for Atticus Rhodes, he had already begun taking photographs.
This kind of beautiful scene was truly wonderful for the spectators. But for the two duelists facing this scene, the feeling was completely different.
Syrus felt his body growing heavier and heavier. His breathing became labored, and even lifting his hand felt very taxing.
The "gravity" had changed!
His face was full of tension.
But no matter how tense he was, the duel had to continue!
"I activate the effect of Aldhibah in my hand. Tribute Zeta Aldhibah on the field, and Special Summon myself in Defense Position."
A smaller robot was born on the field.
Drytron Gamma Eltanin. Level 1, LIGHT Attribute, Machine-Type. ATK 2000.
"After this card is successfully Special Summoned by my effect, I can also Special Summon 1 Drytron monster with 2000 ATK from my Graveyard other than this card.
Special Summon Zeta Aldhibah."
"Level 1 but 2000 ATK." Yuma looked at this and was pretty surprised. "But I remember, doesn't a Ritual Summon require assembling enough Levels for the Ritual Summon? That Ritual Monster just sent to the Graveyard has a lot of Levels. How's a Ritual Summon supposed to work?"
His question was the others' question too.
"Hmph." Wickedwitch chuckled coldly, but wouldn't explain.
"Meteonis Drytron is a very special Ritual Spell Card." From somewhere, a calm voice rang out. Everyone looked over. It turned out to be Hikaru. "Unlike other Ritual Spell Cards, Meteonis Drytron's Ritual Summon doesn't require Levels, but ATK. As long as the sum of the Ritual Materials' ATK is at or above the Ritual target's ATK, you can perform the Ritual Summon."
"I see." Atticus Rhodes suddenly understood. "So that's how it is. Combined with high-ATK low-level monsters within the archetype, it really is a rather excellent Ritual Spell..."
He murmured on for a bit, then suddenly felt this seemed pretty well suited to his little sister.
"So a Ritual Summon is coming?" Astral held his chin, watching the opponent's monsters. Because of Syrus's earlier operations, he'd realized that people from other dimensions might not necessarily do Xyz Summons. So seeing two Level 1 monsters, he hadn't reminded Yuma.
But he quickly learned he was wrong.
"Using two Level 1 monsters, I construct the multidimensional network!" Gamma Eltanin bent its body slightly. The two cannons on its shoulders instantly fired out two beams of blue light. The light struck the two monsters, transforming them into meteors that streaked off the track.
"Xyz!?"
"Xyz too!"
Atticus Rhodes and Syrus cried out together.
"Xyz Summon, the auxiliary vessel of the aurora, Drytron Mu Beta Fafnir!"
The next instant, a mechanical dragon whose body shone all over with blue light, with a dazzling silver-white streamlined body, appeared on the field.
Drytron Mu Beta Fafnir. Rank 1, LIGHT Attribute, Machine-Type. ATK 2000. Xyz Materials: 2.
"Actually an Xyz Summon?" Syrus blinked, but immediately came back to his senses.
Normal, Cyber Dragon also had Xyz Monsters!
Drytron having Xyz seemed quite normal!
"An Xyz Summon after all. Yuma, be careful."
Yuma Tsukumo replied with an "oh!"
"Mu Beta Fafnir's effect, activated only when Xyz Summoned. Send 1 Drytron card from my Deck to the Graveyard. I send Drytron Meteonis DA Draconids from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"Then, Ritual Spell Card, Meteonis Drytron!"
Seeing the card activated, Syrus swallowed and hesitated a long while. In the end he chose not to open the Set card.
Not yet time.
The use of the card had to be judged by the situation.
"Drytron Mu Beta Fafnir's effect. When I perform a Ritual Summon, I can also treat those Tributed monsters as detached from this card's Xyz Materials."
"Oh! So amazing!" Seeing this, Yuma couldn't help crying out in wonder.
So he was using this method to perform the Ritual Summon!
"Using an Xyz Monster for a Ritual Summon. That's somewhat similar to Amagi's Synchro-Fusion tactic." Seeing this, Syrus was a little surprised too. But fortunately he'd previously seen Hikaru use Synchro Monsters for Fusion, so he wasn't particularly shocked.
"Meteonis Drytron's Ritual... Until the ATK total is equal to or greater than the Ritual Monster's ATK, Tribute Machine-Type monsters from my hand or field, and Ritual Summon 1 Ritual Monster from my hand or Graveyard!"
"I use both Xyz Materials as Ritual Tribute Material."
"Ritual Summon the Ritual Monster in the Graveyard, Meteonis Quadrantid Drytron!"
Two mechanical dragons flew out from the hangar, crisscrossing in mid-air. Under the guidance of this crisscrossing flight, an enormous mechanical great dragon, its wings as gorgeous as colored glass, flew in from the horizon.
Meteonis Quadrantid Drytron. Level 12, LIGHT Attribute, Machine-Type. ATK 4000!
"Whoa! So cool!" Yuma Tsukumo was the first to exclaim.
"That design, apart from being a bit too bright, is actually pretty nice." Beside Hikaru, Tierra kept nodding her head.
"This is one of the highest technological crystallizations of our Drytron. Be shocked! There's nothing more dazzling than it!" Seeing its own clan's super warship fly over, Gamma Eltanin launched straight into self-praise.
It didn't look like the more common Machine-Type spirits. It seemed quite spiritual.
"Meteonis Quadrantid Drytron cannot be targeted by the opponent's Spell or Trap Card effects. Then, when the total Level of the monsters used for this card's Ritual Summon is 2 or less, activate. All Spell and Trap Cards on the opponent's field are destroyed!"
"!!" Watching this scene, Astral couldn't help praising the tactic. "A Special Summon that immunes Spell and Trap Card effects, then clears out the opponent's Spells and Traps. Relying on comparable ATK, as long as they clash and destroy each other, they can then directly use 1900-ATK Wickedwitch to finish us off. A very smart target strategy!"
"Don't stand there talking cool. We're about to lose!" Yuma retorted.
"Open Set card!!" Seeing this, Syrus knew that this was no time to wait any longer. Or rather, his Set card had still been forced out. "Counter Trap, Emergeroid Call. While a Roid Fusion Monster exists on my field, when a monster effect or Spell or Trap Card is activated, activate. That activation is negated. After that, from the deck or Extra Deck of the duelist who activated it, all cards of the same name are sent to the Graveyard!"
"Whew." Cathy Katherine and Yuma Tsukumo let out a breath of relief together.
Gamma Eltanin's Deck began auto-scanning. After a clatter of shuffling, a card auto-popped out and flew into the Graveyard. It glanced at it and said: "Dodged the attack, huh? But don't think it'll be that easy."
"I activate the effect of Meteonis Drytron in the Graveyard. When this card exists in the Graveyard, target 1 Drytron monster on my field to activate. That monster's ATK decreases by 1000, and this card returns to my hand."
Gamma Eltanin pointed at the auxiliary vessel on its field, lowering its ATK by 1000, then added Meteonis Drytron from the Graveyard to its hand.
Next...
"Ritual Spell Card, Meteonis Drytron!"
"Another Ritual Summon..."
Atticus Rhodes furrowed his brow: "This is asking too much of Syrus. Weren't they supposed to pick opponents of comparable tier?"
Hearing his words, the Cosmos Queen serving as referee chuckled: "The Great Leader's judgment is never wrong. He is this dimension's, no, he is this cosmos's, and even the multiverse's, strongest spirit!
Do not question the Great Leader's judgment, because his judgment is absolutely correct!"
The strongest spirit?
What the heck, that's some exaggeration.
Atticus Rhodes really didn't accept this kind of claim.
But since the referee insisted there was no problem, then no problem it was.
Only, by the looks of it, Syrus was starting to look like he couldn't hold up.
"The Ritual target is Meteonis DA Draconids in the Graveyard. The ATK total required is 5000. I Tribute Mu Beta Fafnir on the field and Meteonis Quadrantid Drytron in my hand, Ritual Summon!"
"The memory slumbering among the star array!! The moment of awakening!! The instant flash of the comet, the descent of the meteor, the radiance shines!! Rock the cosmos!
Level 12, Meteonis DA Draconids!
Descend!!"
It was an enormous monster as if all the stars had gathered together. Under the twinkling of the stars, countless points of light gathered from all directions. The massive mechanical phantom slowly surfaced above the warship.
Boom.
The mechanical dragon lightly swung its tail, propped a single hand on the deck, and watched the duel curiously.
Meteonis DA Draconids. Level 12, LIGHT Attribute, Machine-Type. ATK 5000.
"Boss Draconis, you came in person!" Gamma Eltanin looked at that enormous mechanical dragon, immensely surprised.
"Gamma Eltanin, I too am quite curious about what kind of courage duelists who dare challenge us would possess." Draconis lowered its head and slightly scanned Syrus. "If there's nothing else that surprises, you're about to lose."
A 4000-ATK monster and a 5000-ATK monster, even if that 1900-ATK monster didn't attack, that was already enough to defeat Syrus!
Syrus's expression darkened.
On the other side, Yuma belatedly counted on his fingers: "So there was another QUA in the hand, no wonder only one was sent to the Graveyard from the deck earlier... uh, but calculating this way, isn't that two Level 12 Ritual Monsters in the opening hand? What a brutal hand."
It felt... not that impressive.
"Hoo hoo hoo." Hearing this, Draconis couldn't just pretend not to hear. "Gamma Eltanin is just our clan's contestant of this generation. He's still very young."
Can't let others look down on his own kin's junior members!
"Battle. Boss Draconis, attack that robot!"
Draconis lightly raised its right arm. A string of floating cannons flew out from the ship on its right arm, then aimed at Barbaroid.
"Megaroid City's effect. During my Roid monster's battle damage calculation, send 1 Roid monster from my Deck to the Graveyard to activate. My monster's ATK and DEF are swapped only during that battle's damage calculation.
I send the second Kiteroid to the Graveyard. Ugh, aaah!"
Draconis was quite a high-tier spirit. The energy that erupted from its body was enough to sweep across the entire port's deck. As countless floating cannons carried energy that shattered Barbaroid, the powerful laser fire also swept across Syrus's body.
"Syrus!?" Yuma Tsukumo watched the rolling thick smoke, and cried out Syrus's name in agitation.
Draconis lowered its head to observe.
It had long since noticed that compared to other humans, this Syrus not only had middling physical constitution, but the "energy" contained within him was also insufficient. Under these circumstances, he actually wanted to reach for the great dragon among their stars.
Should this be called courage, or ignorance?
The spirit dimensions weren't something you could just explore whenever you liked. They, as spirits of "the cosmos," under the Great Leader's guidance, strove toward a more powerful future. This wasn't play.
With its strength, even a spirit of the "Five-Headed Dragon" tier could only contend on equal terms. Yet it still remained in this dimension, precisely because this dimension was strong enough!
Not only could it conveniently teach the juniors of its own clan, more importantly, it too could learn a fraction of the Great Leader's essence here.
Of course.
Beyond this, there was an even faster method of evolution, and that was a sufficiently outstanding duelist partner.
As humans' journeys of exploring the spirit dimensions began, spirits too had gradually come to recognize these things. As a top-tier Machine-Type monster, of course it knew of such things too. Sometimes it had also considered whether to just launch its own initiative and create a "Machine-Type domain." Later it thought that since there was already a "training ground," and the spirits inside were of varied and diverse races, more suited to their juniors' growth, and there were also distant relatives of the Ursarctic, so it had dismissed that idea.
Of course, even more importantly, it had met the Great Leader, that invincible presence.
With that presence there, it believed that even the "red light" could be contended with, so it was very interested in the "interstellar competition."
The result being that during this period, two humans in succession had actually broken through the Great Leader's blockade design.
At that moment, it had realized that this was absolutely a situation extremely suited to junior training.
Only, alas...
This human was too weak.
The smoke dispersed. Syrus lay on the ground, his body pierced by shellfire, covered in wounds. Only after exhausting all his strength did he barely manage to stand.
Human Team, LP: 2300 → 1300.
"That's bad..." Atticus Rhodes's face went pale.
Something's about to go wrong!
"It seems this is all you have..." Draconis shook its head.
"Yes, boss, then Quadrantid Drytron, direct attack!"
Seeing this, Gamma Eltanin directed the other monster.
The attack was about to fall. Yuma Tsukumo beside them was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot: "Syrus, quick, activate my monster's effect!"
Your monster's effect?
You still had a card you hadn't used?
Several spirits raised the question together.
"I, I know..." Syrus, as if guessing his words, said: "I activate the effect of Rainbow Kuriboh in the Graveyard. When this card exists in the Graveyard, activate at the moment the opponent's monster declares a direct attack. Special Summon this card. When the card Special Summoned by this effect leaves the field, it is banished!"
"So there was a card like that. Why didn't you use it last turn?" Wickedwitch was quite surprised. On one hand, surprised there was still a monster in Yuma's Graveyard he could use. On the other, she was also puzzled why Yuma had lost so much Life Points last turn.
He'd had a monster he could use.
"After all, I was the one who bothered you first..." Yuma scratched the back of his head.
This human...
But there was another reason too. Yuma's tactic was to "lose Life Points" in the first place. Best if he dropped straight down to 1 Life Point, that would follow his heart, so he wasn't that worried.
He'd just been worried about affecting Syrus's dueling. That was why he hadn't dropped fully down to 100 Life Points. Now that it was time, this had proven correct. Otherwise, Syrus wouldn't have been able to activate Enchanted Fitting Room.
And the reason Syrus knew about this card was, just as he'd called himself, as the "grave-keeper" he couldn't be without awareness of the Graveyard. When he'd checked the Graveyard monsters on his own turn, he'd already known Yuma hadn't done nothing.
"An effect of a monster in the Graveyard? Interesting, but..." Draconis simply waved a hand offhandedly, and Rainbow Kuriboh was swept away outright.
"Up to twice per turn, when an opponent's monster's effect activates, banish Drytron monsters from my Graveyard whose combined ATK is equal to or greater than that monster's original ATK to activate. That activation is negated and the card destroyed.
I'm afraid, human child, I am not a spirit that can be dealt with just any old way!"
What a strong effect!
Almost everyone was startled.
Not only did it have 5000-tier ATK, it also had a powerful effect to negate a monster twice per turn!
Syrus's face went pale, and he raised his hand again: "Then, Kiteroid's effect. Banish it from the Graveyard to reduce direct attack damage to 0!"
"I can also use the second effect!"
"Then the second Kiteroid!"
Syrus bit his teeth and shouted with all his lungs.
A transparent little kite floated in front of him, giving not one step of ground before the massive mechanical dragon. At the same time, Gamma Eltanin and Zeta Aldhibah were successively banished.
"He actually held on?" Gamma Eltanin's head steamed a little. The LED lights on its body flashed wildly, in the face of Boss Draconis and Boss Quadrantid, he actually held on!
"But, don't forget, I can still attack." Whether worried that others might have forgotten her existence or not, Wickedwitch spoke up leisurely.
Her 1900 ATK truly didn't count for much in front of the two enormous Meteonis Drytrons.
But with only 1300 Life Points left, one more brush would mean the human lost.
Syrus was drenched in cold sweat. Struck by multiple barrages in succession, with his physical constitution he simply couldn't bear it. He felt like there were drafts leaking through his whole body, cold, while his internal organs burned with searing pain.
"He's not wrong." Gamma Eltanin nodded, calming down. "Next, there's still the direct attack. Do you have any means of defense? Attack directly with Wickedwitch."
"Open Set card!"
Just then, Syrus suddenly flipped his Set card: "Trap Card, Monster Rebirth!"
"What?"
"What card!?"
"Monster Rebirth, why!?"
Not only did those who didn't recognize the card react, even Draconis, which did recognize the card, was greatly startled.
Why would it be Monster Rebirth!
It had considered that Syrus's Set card might be an attack-declaration trap, a support card, other Roid Traps. But never had it thought it would be Monster Rebirth!
"On the turn a monster is destroyed by battle, I send 1 'Monster Reborn' from my hand or Deck to the Graveyard, and target 1 monster in my Graveyard or the opponent's Graveyard to activate. That monster is Special Summoned to my field as if by the effect of 'Monster Reborn.'
I choose Number 39: Utopia!"
Gamma Eltanin stared blankly at this scene.
"Wh, why?" Its processor had no way to make sense of this scene.
Even Astral, the user of "Utopia," couldn't help voicing a question. "Why? Wouldn't it have been enough to just use Monster Rebirth's effect to revive Barbaroid in my Graveyard?"
If Syrus had Special Summoned Barbaroid in Defense Position, its 4000 DEF would have been enough to defend against Quadrantid Drytron's attack!
And even if he really did want to revive Utopia, wouldn't it have been enough to revive it when Quadrantid attacked?
"Because... because I want to make sure Utopia can truly be safely revived." Syrus barely smiled, forcing himself to speak.
"You could have revived your own ace, and yet you revived your teammate's monster?" Gamma Eltanin looked him straight in the eye, unable to believe it.
Syrus looked at the monsters on the field, hesitating, thinking, and in the end still continued: "I'm... the representative of the Combined Unit. The mistakes the Fusion army made in the Xyz Dimension absolutely can't be treated as if they never happened."
Past days entwined him like a nightmare. Even though he'd been through so many events together with Jaden, still not a single Combined Unit member had returned.
He was like a lonely grave-keeper, always guarding the Combined Unit, yet as if never able to await any result.
But this wait, today, had blossomed.
In a distant otherworld.
In "Xyz," this world the Fusion army had once invaded, there was a "dimensional friend" willing to believe in him, willing to believe in the goodness in people's hearts!
No matter what, he did not want to lose this duel, because it might concern his big brother's memory recovery.
But even less could he accept letting down his dimensional friend's expectations!
The former, even if he himself failed, he could trust senior Atticus, trust Amagi, whom he could absolutely trust. If he was wrong about the latter, then his life... would be over.
Because he couldn't think of what meaning his own persistence would have left.
"Since Yuma is willing to trust them, willing to trust me... then I must let him duel smoothly."
"You came to this dimension to obtain a Drytron card, didn't you?" Draconis lowered its head and looked at Syrus, even bending down to examine him. "And yet now you're handing the hope over to someone else?"
Yuma Tsukumo's first turn had been so unwatchable, and yet Syrus, who had his own goal, was actually willing to yield the "spotlight"...
Syrus tilted his body back, sat on the ground, and let out a "ha."
"If you don't even trust your teammate, what kind of duelist are you."
...
Impressive, thought Draconis.
Draconis had to admit that this so-called "grave-keeper" wasn't just bitterly waiting alone, but truly carrying hope.
"That kid Syrus..." Atticus Rhodes sighed with feeling.
Perhaps loneliness was the best supplement to growth. Syrus had borne so much pain and pressure, yet could still hold hope. That truly was remarkable.
"...Then, I Set 1 card and end my turn."
At this point, Gamma Eltanin's impression of Syrus had done a complete 180.
Actually, at first, it hadn't held the slightest interest in this human with low dueling energy. During the duel, some of his commentary on Yuma Tsukumo had also left it displeased.
Because the two had suddenly bickered midway through the duel, it had felt that as a warrior in a team duel, this Syrus wasn't fit at all to use their "Drytron."
After all, although Drytron was a Ritual deck, to properly use it, the most important thing was "cooperation."
Otherwise, awkward situations like the one where it had a Ritual Monster hand-stuck this turn would occur.
"Alright, here we go, Yuma."
"Oh! Astral, time to get serious!" Yuma responded to Astral's words, ready to soar. But just then...
"Grumble, grumble..."
"Eh?"
Yuma's body curled over, hand pressed to his stomach. "Uh, I'm so hungry... I really want a rice ball."
"Bear with it, Yuma. The dueling rice balls have already been eaten. We'll talk about it after we get out of here." Cathy Katherine couldn't help pressing her own stomach either, but still resolutely spoke to Yuma.
Long-time hiding in this dimension had left Yuma's trio exhausted in body and spirit, especially the two humans, who were seriously starving. Yuma, who hadn't had much strength to begin with, had also felt somewhat listless in the duel. This was one of the reasons his first-turn performance had looked so poor.
"Rice balls we don't have. How about instant noodles?" Seeing the two of them looking half-starved, Hikaru couldn't help smiling, and said to them.
"Eh, really!? Thank you so much!"
Hikaru looked at the Cosmos Queen: "May we, Cosmos Queen?"
She glanced at the two duel spirits, then nodded: "Heh, your opponents have no objection."
So Hikaru returned to the Qliphort Scout Vessel, prepared some hot water and cup noodles, quickly brewed them, and pushed a small cart onto the duel field.
Cathy Katherine had been hungry for a long time, but was still very reserved, while Yuma didn't care about anything, grabbing a cup and just chugging it straight down.
"Whoa... so tasty..." Cathy Katherine had a couple of small bites, and her eyes instantly flashed with golden light. She murmured in low amazement, then began eating faster with her fork.
"Whoa, delicious!!" Yuma drained a whole cup, chewing and swallowing furiously, and couldn't help exclaiming: "Thank you so much!!"
"Naturally, ha!" Tierra watched the two humans eat with such gusto and, hands on her hips, nodded.
This was a 99% authenticity-restored cup noodle certified by the star-creating goddess!
After Yuma Tsukumo had wolfed down more than ten cups of instant noodles, he did another big jump, not the least bit bothered by the amount he'd just eaten. Then he did a 180-degree backflip on the spot, propped his hands on the ground, and flipped back again, three or four times in a row, until he reached the very end of the deck. He pointed at the opponent and shouted: "Got my strength back! Then here I go!"
"My turn!"
"Shining Draw!"
He leapt high, snatched a card from the Deck, and held it high overhead. The card gave off brilliant golden light, as if it really were "shining."
The whole scene left everyone, human and spirit, dumbfounded.
"Here it comes! Normal Spell Card, Shining Draw!"
He laughed heartily and displayed it to his opponent: "A true duelist can create even a draw!"
"During my Draw Phase, if I draw this card through a normal draw, keep it publicly revealed. During Main Phase 1 of that turn, I can target 1 'Utopia' monster on my field and choose 1 of the following effects to activate."
From my Deck or Extra Deck, choose any number of "ZW" monsters with different card names and treat them as Equip Cards, equipping them to the target.
Overlay 1 "Utopia" Xyz Monster with a different name from the target monster onto that monster and, treating it as an Xyz Summon, Special Summon it from the Extra Deck.
"This..."
The character depicted on the card art looked exactly like this human, didn't he?
The two dueling spirits looked at each other, each somewhat dumbfounded.
"Then, Rank-Up-Magic Zexal Force!"
The grin on Yuma's face was so brilliant it made you question reality, as if he were the one at the advantage.
"A Rank-Up-Magic!?" Both Syrus and Atticus Rhodes were startled.
Wasn't this the especially dangerous kind of Spell Card?
"Target 1 Xyz Monster on my field to activate. Overlay 1 'Utopia' monster or 'ZW' monster whose Rank is 1 higher than the targeted monster's Rank onto the targeted monster, and treat it as an Xyz Summon, Special Summoning it from the Extra Deck. Then select 1 ZW or ZS card from my Deck and place it on top of the Deck."
"Using Number 39: Utopia as the Xyz Material, I Rank Up!"
"Chaos Xyz Change!"
Number 39: Utopia dropped the weapons in its hands, its body began to transform, and under the crimson stain of burning blood, it gradually became a taller warrior.
"Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray!"
Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray, Rank 5, LIGHT Attribute, Warrior-Type. ATK 2500.
"Beast-Armored? Not Utopia..."
"Beast-Armored Utopia Ray's card name is treated as 'Chaos Number 39: Utopia Ray' by rule!"
"Next, using Shining Draw's effect!"
He laughed heartily and opened his Deck.
You could tell that his current state matched what he'd just said about "being too hungry to perform well," rather than making excuses that his internet was laggy, or he was off form, or the feel wasn't right.
"I equip ZW - Pegasus Twin Sabers, ZW - Eagle Claw, ZW - Lightning Blade, and from my Extra Deck, ZW - Leo Arms to Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray!"
Clang clang clang clang.
Four weapons flew out from Yuma's Deck and Extra Deck, all equipping to Utopia at once. Some were held in the hand, some armed onto the arms, and some transformed into steeds, carrying Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray.
"Equipping 4 monsters at once?"
"But what's the use..."
The spirits felt as if it wasn't anything impressive. But Yuma didn't care about these voices at all.
"Hey! Meteonis DA Draconids!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to catch Draconis's attention.
"What is it?" Draconis asked.
"If I win, you'll let Syrus obtain a Drytron card, right?"
"Hmph, that depends on whether he can obtain my juniors' recognition. And besides, you haven't won yet. You're a long way from winning."
"So there's a chance, right?" Yuma had a grin on his face.
"...Yes."
"Then, please make it happen!"
"I said, you haven't won yet."
"About to win!" Yuma laughed heartily. "Hope has always been here. Since Syrus has left his hope to me, then I have to obtain victory to repay him!"
He was actually pretty happy right now. After all, being able to make brand-new friends in an unfamiliar place, especially such loyal friends...
Giving up his own ace to revive Utopia.
"Let's go, Utopia! Let us bring hope!
I activate Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray's effect. Once per turn, detach one Xyz Material to activate. From my Deck or Extra Deck, choose 1 ZW monster and treat it as an Equip Spell Card of that effect, equipping it to this card."
"Then, I activate Boss Draconis's effect. Banish Meteonis Quadrantid Drytron from the Graveyard, negate your effect and destroy it!"
"Sorry." Yuma responded. "The activation and effect of this effect cannot be negated."
What?
An immune-to-negation effect!
"I equip ZW - Dragonic Halberd from my Extra Deck to Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray! According to its effect, I raise Utopia Ray's ATK by 3000!"
An enormous draconic beast flew out from Yuma's Extra Deck, then transformed into a massive polearm halberd, landing in Utopia's hand.
Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray, ATK: 2500 → 5500
"5500 ATK, surpassing Boss Draconis!?"
"5500 ATK..." Wickedwitch's face was full of tension.
If it got attacked, it was done for.
"Are you going to attack Wickedwitch?"
"How could I? Of course I have to battle the strongest monster! Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray's effect. Once per either player's turn, if this card has a ZW monster equipped, target 1 Effect Monster on the opponent's field. That monster's ATK is halved and its effects are negated!"
"Wait, that effect can be negated, right! I activate Boss Draconis's effect. Banish the last Meteonis Quadrantid Drytron and negate your effect and destroy it!"
"Sure it can be negated, but Pegasus Twin Sabers' effect. While this card is equipped, once per turn, when a monster's effect activated by the opponent on the field resolves, I can negate that effect!"
Ruined!
Draconis could no longer maintain its earlier composure. Its body was shrunk, becoming only as large as a normal warship.
Drytron Meteonis DA Draconids, ATK: 5000 → 2500.
"With this, if it gets attacked... it's a win!" Syrus couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief. Perhaps he'd been holding his breath the whole time. Now, seeing the situation, he could finally breathe a bit easier.
But precisely because of that, he felt his vision blur, and, dizzy, instinctively half-knelt on the ground.
"Battle. Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray attacks Drytron Meteonis DA Draconids!"
"Open Set card, Trap Card, Mirror Force!"
"Ah!"
"Then, I activate Eagle Claw's effect!"
There's more!
Draconis had guessed these weapons probably each had their own effects. But it hadn't expected another one to appear so soon.
"While this card is equipped, once per turn, when a Trap Card's effect is activated on the opponent's field, negate it!"
The chained Trap activation really was a card that countered Traps!
Mirror Force's radiance shone onto Utopia's body. However, the claw sheathed on his wrist merely gave a light touch and easily shattered that so-called holy light.
"With this, the battle continues, soar to the sky, Utopia Ray!"
Utopia Ray spun his body. The halberd in his hand began to transform wildly. He leapt straight up, cheering skyward, and Utopia followed behind him, thrusting straight through the shrunken mechanical dragon.
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
Spirit Team, LP: 2000 → 0.
Meteonis DA Draconids slowly flew away from their port, gazing at the humans on the port from afar. The humans in the later group were relatively calm and let out a breath of relief. That earlier green-haired female human, meanwhile, was jumping and cheering on the spot.
Did we lose?
It seemed these two humans weren't entirely without merit either.
And besides...
Looking at it this way, the "matched strength" the Great Leader had said wasn't quite what they'd interpreted it to be.
This human boy called Yuma held more of the weight!
But whatever the case...
Speaking of this duel alone, Syrus was worth its investment!
...
STONESSSS
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