The sudden second duel left viewers slow to react, but what followed was more evident excitement.
Not simple bloodlust from viewers, but because this duel had no other factors mixed in.
No despair emotional issues, no every-word psychological attacks, no relationship between older and younger brother influencing.
This duel was a pure duel!
Even more, before the duel, both people probably hadn't thought they'd duel their opponent!
This kind of purest duel was perhaps what viewers wanted to see more.
"My turn."
Hikaru looked down at his hand.
"Activate Spell Card, Fusion Birth."
This card rarely had a chance to be activated directly. Basically it was milled by Reeree. Being able to get it in-hand on the first turn, Hikaru certainly wouldn't hesitate to use it.
"Send the top 5 cards of my Deck to the Graveyard. If there are monsters that can be used for Fusion among them, I can conduct one Fusion Summon."
"Oho... a luck-based Fusion?" Throne was quite interested in this card.
"Sending 5 cards to the Graveyard, what those 5 cards will be is a completely unknown matter."
"And assuming 5 different monsters are milled, then different Fusion results would be produced, offering different Fusion choices."
"Interesting. So that's why it's called Fusion Birth?"
Throne watched Hikaru's duel with interest.
Since revenge had become hopeless, he'd thrown his thoughts entirely into various forms of amusement. Being able to see this kind of card by chance was quite interesting.
Quattro, watching from the side, also felt this was a rather powerful and enjoyable card. As a spectator, one would definitely look forward to seeing this type of card.
"Send the top 5 cards of my Deck to the Graveyard."
Hikaru picked up 5 cards from his Deck and lightly tossed them. The 5 cards flew above the dueling field.
Shaddoll Beast, Branded Fusion, Myutant Arsenal, Myutant Mist, Myutant Beast.
Hikaru raised his brow.
Somewhat bad, yet somewhat convenient.
"Oh!" Throne couldn't help clapping. He laughed. "Three monsters of the same series. What kind of Fusion monster will result? Quite curious."
Saying that, Hikaru actually had other Fusion options he could conduct. But he thought a moment and decided direct Fusion of Myutant was better.
"The Fusion condition is 3 Myutant monsters of Level 8 or higher."
In the Graveyard, three oddly shaped Myutant monsters transformed into different limbs, assembled, then became an enormous, twisted, mutually entangled monster.
"Fusion Summon, Level 10, Myutant Ultimus!"
Myutant Ultimus. Level 10, DARK Attribute, Psychic-Type. ATK 3500.
"Psychic-Type, huh... heheh." Throne softly laughed.
"By Shaddoll Beast's effect, draw a card."
"Set two cards, end turn."
"Simple, efficient, direct. So this is the Absolute Fusion User?" Throne stroked his chin, thinking. "But if it's only this, it's not enough."
"Sure knows how to talk big."
"Where did this kid come from?"
"Xyz Dimension people only talk this kind of nonsense?"
Among Synchro Dimension viewers, a group wasn't very friendly toward the Xyz Dimension. Not only did monsters without Levels make Synchro users uncomfortable, but the earlier Gossip Shadow had left them with a rather bad impression.
But Throne wasn't that kind of duelist.
"My turn, draw."
"Duelists' duels must continue evolving. You, using Fusion, however great your fame, are only Fusion in this one aspect." Throne looked at the card he drew, narrowed his eyes. "Under despair's power, that kind of monster can't stop anything."
"Activate the effect of Heraldic Beast Aberconway in my hand. Send 1 Heraldic Beast from my Deck to the Graveyard other than Heraldic Beast Aberconway to activate. Special Summon this card from my hand. After this effect's activation, until the end of the turn, if I don't Xyz Summon using only monsters whose original card name mentions Heraldic Beast or Number as materials, I cannot Special Summon monsters from my Extra Deck."
Damn, Yuenmu?
Hearing this card effect description, Hikaru was slightly startled.
Quite impressive actually.
The so-called "Yuenmu" referred to the famous Mekk-Knight Yuenmu. Yuenmu could be Special Summoned by sending 1 Mekk-Knight monster from the Deck to the Graveyard. And this wasn't an "effect" but a "cost." So no matter what card was activated, it couldn't stop this process.
If it were only Special Summoning, that would be fine. But milling 1 monster from the Deck to the Graveyard out of nothing would basically pile up a card with a Graveyard effect, so it was earning another card out of nothing too.
As expected.
Similar to what Hikaru had thought, Throne had also obtained brand-new cards from the Goddess of Despair.
"I send Heraldic Beast Unicorn from my Deck to the Graveyard, Special Summon Heraldic Beast Aberconway."
"Then, Spell Card, Heraldry Reborn."
Another gleaming purple crest rose on Throne's face, then transformed into an electric current, merging into the ground.
"Revive 1 Heraldic Beast monster in the Graveyard. Revive, Heraldic Beast Unicorn."
"If I control 2 or more Heraldic Beasts, I can Special Summon Heraldic Beast Eale from my hand."
Seeing Hikaru had made no moves, Throne's mouth curled: "Although I don't know what effect that monster of yours has, it doesn't matter.
Because next, the monster appearing is a monster you're destined not to defeat!"
"When Xyz Summoning a Number Xyz Monster using 3 or more monsters as materials, Heraldic Beast Aberconway can be treated as 2 materials!"
"Using the two monsters on the field, construct an Xyz network!"
A crimson wound appeared out of nowhere in the air.
Two enormous strange symbols "69" began manifesting.
An enormous monster flipped its body, rising from the ground. Its body was like an enormous shield, looking incredibly imposing.
"Manifest!
Number 69: Heraldry Crest!"
Number 69: Heraldry Crest. Rank 4, LIGHT Attribute, Psychic-Type. ATK 2600. Xyz Materials: 2.
"Heraldry Crest!" Yuma Tsukumo, running wildly, hearing this name, felt his heart tighten.
"Heraldry Crest... that monster actually appeared again..." Quattro's expression turned slightly bad.
Heraldry Crest, which Yuma had exhausted every effort to defeat, had actually appeared again.
Damn, if not for the Goddess of Despair...
"Another Number monster?"
"Xyz Dimension people love giving Xyz Monsters numbers this much?"
"But this way it's very clear that Numbers are an Xyz Dimension characteristic..."
"What effect does that monster have? Making that kid this confident?"
Many people were curious.
And the result was truly invincible!
"So long as Heraldry Crest is on the field, all other monsters' effects on the field are negated. Heraldry Crest gains those monsters' effects!"
Extraordinarily powerful!
Genuinely powerful!
One-way skill extraction, and all it required was just 3 Level 4 monsters!
"Truly absurd... such a strong effect."
"These Xyz Dimension people... how to say it, though a bit abstract, their monsters are really strong."
This was the common thought in many hearts.
Although these Xyz Dimension people's playstyles were all similar, just rapidly assembling a bunch of same-Level monsters then Xyz Summoning.
But it had to be admitted.
These Xyz Monsters were truly strong!
Simple summoning method.
Powerful locking ability.
Ultimate resistance.
All they needed were just a few same-Level monsters!
"But in terms of ATK, Myutant Ultimus is higher!"
Fusion Dimension members sat before the TV, watching the duel together. Seeing Heraldry Crest's powerful effect, all showed grave expressions. But at this moment, Jaden Yuki spoke without hesitation that classic line.
Higher ATK is king!
Even if you're strong, you still only have 2600 ATK!
But at this time, Throne was still seriously reading the effect: "Oho... by banishing corresponding Myutant cards in the Graveyard, monster, Spell, or Trap effects can be negated and banished?
Truly a powerful effect. A pity, this effect can no longer be activated."
Throne guessed that Hikaru had wanted to save this effect for more meaningful use, only to unexpectedly overlay a card like Heraldry Crest at light speed.
He guessed correctly.
Hikaru had indeed been slightly slow to respond, wasting one chance to negate Aberconway.
Mainly in this world, even if opposing card effects could be viewed on the spot, it still took time. And the opponent wouldn't give you "wait, let me look a bit longer" time.
Unless activating a card's effect, waiting wasn't possible.
"Activate Spell Card, Charged-Up Heraldry. Tribute Heraldic Beast Eale on my field, Special Summon 2 Heraldic Beasts from my Deck. After this card's activation, until the end of the turn, I cannot Special Summon monsters other than Psychic-Type and Machine-Type from my Extra Deck."
"Tribute Heraldic Beast Eale, Special Summon Heraldic Beast Stad Whale, Heraldic Beast Twin-Headed Eagle."
Throne looked at the monsters on the field, shaking his head inwardly.
To prevent accidents, he'd prioritized overlaying Heraldry Crest. Precisely because of this, Stad Whale's effect couldn't be activated.
But to solve a 3500 ATK monster and prevent other obstructions, this had been necessary. After all, there was only one Aberconway able to serve as 2 Xyz Materials.
"Using two Level 4 monsters, conduct multidimensional overlay!"
This time, it was number 8!
"Xyz Summon, Rank 4, Number 8: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage!"
Heraldic King was an odd deer-like creature. It landed on four hooves and called out softly.
Number 8: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage. Rank 4, LIGHT Attribute, Psychic-Type. ATK 2400. Xyz Materials: 2.
"Another Xyz Monster! Another Number!"
"Really. But no meaning, right? Its effect is negated anyway."
"2400 ATK still can't beat Myutant Ultimus!"
Same thing again.
Higher ATK is higher! Even 1 higher ATK than you makes it king!
"Not necessarily."
As if guessing viewers' thoughts, Throne laughed.
"Heraldry Crest's effect is that monster effects other than this card are negated, then Heraldry Crest gains those monsters' effects!"
"That is, Heraldry Crest also gains Genom-Heritage's effect!"
"Activate the ability Heraldry Crest gained from Genom-Heritage!"
"Detach 1 Xyz Material, until the End Phase, the monster battling this card has its ATK become 0, and this card's ATK becomes that monster's original ATK.
Go, Heraldry Crest!"
Heraldry Crest's body rotated, transformed, becoming an enormous shield aimed at Genom-Heritage. Countless DNA double helixes flew through the air. In no time, all that radiance flowed into Heraldry Crest's body.
"Too despicable!?"
"Damn, isn't this equivalent to not being affected at all? So long as the opponent's monster effects are negated, one's own monsters can fully use Heraldry Crest to activate effects!"
"No, not only that, it can steal the opponent's effects too. Too shameless!"
"Simply cheating..."
Many people expressed their shock at this scene.
"Battle, Heraldry Crest attacks Myutant Ultimus!" Throne laughed loudly, pointing across. "Crush that laughable monster!"
Heraldry Crest released from its shield form. Two enormous claws extended, clawing at Myutant Ultimus. With a boom, Myutant Ultimus instantly shattered.
Hikaru, LP: 4000 → 500.
"Ah!?"
"Whoa..."
"Looks so painful..."
Throne grinned. "Don't rest too early, Hikaru. There's another attack coming."
"Hikaru!"
"Master!"
Someone instinctively shouted in worry.
However, Hikaru himself was extraordinarily calm: "At this instant, open Set card!
Normal Trap Card, Fusion Duplication!"
"Hm?"
"Target 1 Fusion Normal or Quick-Play Spell in my or the opponent's Graveyard to activate. Banish that Spell, apply the effect of activating that Spell."
A Trap card that conducts Fusion at this timing?
Was it going to be Fusion Birth...
"I banish Branded Fusion from my Graveyard!"
Branded Fusion!
"Heh, right, for surviving, obviously stable Fusion is more reasonable."
"The Fusion condition is Fallen of Albaz and 1 monster with ATK 2500 or higher."
"I send Fallen of Albaz and Evil HERO Vicious Claws from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"Fusion Summon, Titaniklad the Ash Dragon!"
The dark-skinned young man jumped onto the field, howled and shouted, and finally transformed into a silver-white great dragon, carefully guarding Hikaru's field.
Titaniklad the Ash Dragon. Level 8, DARK Attribute, Dragon-Type. ATK 2500.
"Oh... applies on the Fusion turn. A card unaffected by effects activated by other monsters Special Summoned from the Extra Deck? And ATK can also be increased by the total original Levels of Fusion Materials times 100.
Truly a pity, Heraldry Crest's effect doesn't need to be activated. Even if it manifested by Fusion first, it would only be negated."
Hikaru had no objection.
But regardless, ATK 2500 was already enough as a "wall" to withstand Genom-Heritage.
Only a pity he didn't have "Icejade" style dragons. Otherwise when the opponent had attacked Myutant Ultimus just now, he could have directly brought out that kind of dragon.
"Set one card, end turn."
Though he'd barely held out this turn thanks to Titaniklad's ATK, what would he do next turn?
Heraldry Crest's full-field lock, Genom-Heritage's ATK-change, plus Heraldry Crest itself being a Number monster not destroyed by non-Number cards in battle...
Many people were thinking with headaches.
Felt too troublesome.
From the viewers, from Quattro's expression, one could see everyone felt pressure from this situation.
Quattro knew a bit more. He knew Heraldry Crest wouldn't be destroyed by effects either, so destruction by effect was also difficult.
However, for Hikaru, it wasn't like that.
The reason was simple. This duel was much simpler than his concept!
...
STONES 💎
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