"Evolve and bloom! Xyz Summon! [Epurrely Happiness]!"
[Epurrely Happiness] Rank 2│LIGHT│Fairy│2000 ATK
Using the revealed Quick-Play Spell in her hand, Purrely completed its Xyz evolution within the light.
What changed wasn't just its Rank; its small, fluffy, adorable body had clearly grown as well.
Lierman was startled. "It actually went from a non-Xyz monster straight into an Xyz monster?"
Most Xyz Summons are performed by overlaying monsters that are already suitable for Xyz Summoning.
But evolving directly from a single non-Xyz monster into an Xyz Monster was an extremely rare type of summon.
And yet, such a rare evolution Xyz came from Class 3-E.
"Interesting. But in terms of Attack, your Xyz is still inferior to my [Bujintei Susanowo]!"
"He says our Attack isn't enough, Miles."
"Then use this card as well, August!"
Following Miles's command, August threw out another card, as strengthening light shone onto [Epurrely Happiness] on the field.
"—I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Purrely Delicious Memory]!"
[Target 1 monster on the field; it cannot be destroyed by battle until the end of the next turn.]
"I make my [Epurrely Happiness] unable to be destroyed by battle this turn. And when the Quick-Play Spell is activated, [Epurrely Happiness]'s effect is triggered!"
[When you activate a "Purrely" Quick-Play Spell: You can attach that card on the field to this card as material.]
By revealing Quick-Play Spells in hand, Purrely can evolve into Xyz forms.
And when it is already in its evolved Xyz form, activating Quick-Play Spells from the hand allows it to directly absorb those spells as Xyz Materials.
"I overlay the Quick-Play Spell [Purrely Delicious Memory] beneath Happiness as Xyz Material, and its additional effect is triggered!"
[A "Purrely" Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains the following effect: ●This card gains 300 ATK/DEF for each material attached to it.]
After absorbing Delicious Memory, the Xyz Happiness gained an additional effect—its Attack increases based on the number of Xyz Materials it has.
"Since there are 3 Xyz Materials attached beneath Happiness, its Attack increases by 900!"
[Epurrely Happiness, ATK: 2000 → 2900]
After being well fed, its Attack surpassed Susanowo. Despite the huge difference in size between the two monsters, at this moment, Purrely was the stronger one.
"Attack, August!"
"Okay, Battle!"
Declaring entry into the Battle Phase, one human, one beast, and one soul aligned their focus toward the massive Bujin Emperor on the field.
"Epurrely Happiness, use 'Sunshine Burst'!"
"Meow!"
Charging energy, from Purrely's small and adorable body, erupted a dazzling beam quite disproportionate to its size, blasting toward Susanowo.
"Useless!"
Yet at the moment the light exploded, a shield appeared on Susanowo, absorbing the entire impact of the blast.
Lierman declared, "I banish [Bujingi Hare] from my Graveyard to activate its effect!"
[You can banish this card from your Graveyard, then target 1 Beast-Warrior "Bujin" monster you control; that monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects once this turn.]
The sacred treasure that had been sent to the Graveyard as Xyz Material last turn transformed into a shield protecting Susanowo, negating this instance of battle destruction.
"But battle damage is still calculated!" August emphasized.
[Lierman, LP: 4000 → 3500]
The overflowing light swept past his body, still reducing Lierman's Life Points.
It was a turning point… Class 3-E's rep had actually managed to damage Class B's rep.
Although it was only a mere 500 points of damage, it was, without a doubt, a huge step forward for Class E.
"Yeahhh, go, Class Rep!"
"Win or lose, you're already our hero!"
Feeling the enthusiasm of the idiots from Class E behind her, Miles smiled. "You're really being counted on, Class Rep. Then next, answer them with battle!"
"Yeah!" August nodded firmly. "My battle this turn isn't over yet! [Epurrely Happiness] can attack more than once in the same Battle Phase."
The ability to attack multiple times per turn didn't belong to Purrely itself, but to the Xyz Materials attached beneath it.
[Purrely Happy Memory Effect: A "Purrely" Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains the following effect: ●This card can make a number of attacks on monsters during each Battle Phase, up to the number of "Purrely Happy Memory" attached to it as material +1.]
"Since I have one Happy Memory attached, Purrely can attack one more time this turn! And then—[Epurrely Happiness]'s own effect!"
[When this card battles, at the end of the Damage Step: You can add 1 "Purrely" card from your Deck to your hand. If this card has "Purrely Happy Memory" as material, you can target 1 face-up monster on the field; its Attack becomes half.]
At this moment, Purrely possessed multiple attack capabilities, a search effect after damage calculation, and an additional effect to halve an opponent's Attack.
Despite looking like such a harmless little creature, once all these buffs stacked up, its destructive power even surpassed the Susanowo empowered by divine artifacts in the previous turn.
"That Lierman… got played." From the spectator seats, Leon from Class A commented.
[Bujintei Susanowo, ATK: 2400 → 1200]
By using the one-time destruction protection granted by the Bujingi, Lierman had protected Susanowo… but in doing so, he ended up taking an extra attack for nothing, and this second attack dealt even greater damage.
"I add [Purrely Pretty Memory] from my Deck to my hand!
"And, Sunshine Burst, second shot!"
If August could continue searching for [Purrely Happy Memory] and activate it, theoretically, she could keep granting Susanowo battle destruction protection and keep attacking with Happiness repeatedly.
Unfortunately, even as Class Rep, August from Class E didn't have enough Magic Points to keep 'printing cards' like that.
Each Purrely Quick-Play Spell was a B-rank rare spell. Crafting one was manageable, but with August's financial situation, she couldn't afford the doubled cost of crafting duplicates.
"Don't get cocky, Class E!"
Being injured in a duel against Class E was already humiliating enough for Lierman as Class B's rep.
If he took an even more painful second hit head-on, it would be too much of a blow to Class B's pride.
"Divine artifact, manifest! I activate from my hand—[Bujingi Yata]!"
The Yata Mirror, one of the Three Sacred Treasures alongside Kusanagi and Peacock Magatama, activated its signature reflection effect.
[When a Beast-Warrior "Bujin" monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard; negate that attack, and inflict damage to your opponent equal to half the attacking monster's Attack.]
A Bujin-exclusive effect, similar to a hand trap version of [Magic Cylinder]. It negates the attack and reflects half the Attack as damage.
Miles now understood why Lierman had been so confident ending his turn without setting any cards; his traps were all in his hand.
"Reflect the light of the attack—Yata Mirror!"
The second blast from Happiness was reflected by the mirror. Fortunately, the hand trap version of [Magic Cylinder], [Bujingi Yata], only reflected half the Attack as damage.
"Waaahhhh!"
[August, LP: 2000 → 550]
August's round glasses were nearly blown off; if the full damage had been reflected, her remaining Life Points would have been completely wiped out.
Lierman said sternly, "Just the strength of Class E! Don't think you can shake the Bujin!"
From the beginning until now, after countless divine artifacts had been thrown out, even with its Attack halved, Susanowo still stood firm on the field.
"It's still too early to say that. Show him some more, August!"
"So we're using that card? Got it, Miles!"
After the Battle Phase ended, August once again threw a Spell Card toward Purrely.
"—Quick-Play Spell [Purrely Pretty Memory]!"
[Purrely Pretty Memory Quick-Play Spell Effect: Both players gain 1000 Life Points.]
[Lierman, LP: 3500 → 4500]
[August, LP: 550 → 1550]
The Quick-Play Spell that had just been searched from the Deck by [Epurrely Happiness] not only restored Life Points for both players, but also triggered Happiness's own effect to absorb the Spell as material.
"Let Happiness absorb Pretty Memory as Xyz Material and gain a brand-new effect!"
[Epurrely Happiness, ATK: 2900 → 3200]
With the increase in Xyz Materials, Happiness's Attack rose—and it also gained a new effect—
[A "Purrely" Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains the following effect.
●Once per turn: You can send 1 card you control, except this card, to the Graveyard, then target 1 card your opponent controls; attach that card to this card as material.]
"I Set one card, then send that Set card to the Graveyard to activate the effect. I make [Bujintei Susanowo] become Xyz Material for [Epurrely Happiness]!"
Not only did it absorb the Quick-Play Spell to increase its combat power, but it even absorbed the opponent's Bujin Emperor Susanowo as well.
Within that small body lay unimaginable energy.
[Epurrely Happiness, ATK: 3300 → 3500]
Watching Susanowo be absorbed and vanish into light as Xyz Material, Lierman showed a shocked expression for the first time.
Susanowo, which hadn't been destroyed by battle, was instead dealt with in another way… by a mere Class E student.
"I Set one card and end my turn."
After absorbing Susanowo, August followed Miles's instructions, Set a card from her hand, and declared the end of her turn.
Lierman said, "I admit, with Class E's strength, defeating Susanowo was unexpected. But if that's all, you're still far from defeating Class B!"
"Of course, that's not all!" In his starlight form, Miles rechecked the current hand, then signaled to August. "Now's the time! Go all-in!"
"All-in? Miles, you mean?" August didn't react immediately.
"Use every card you can. That's all-in!"
"Is that okay?"
"It's fine. This is the perfect timing."
"Then I'll trust you, Miles!"
Grabbing four cards from her hand, August clenched her teeth and steeled herself. Continuous flashes of Special Summon light lit up Class E's field.
"At the End Phase, the shared effect of the Melffy monsters activates!"
[During your End Phase: You can Special Summon this card from your hand.]
This was a shared effect among all Melffy monsters, and the continuous Special Summons now were precisely the small animals that had returned to her hand last turn.
"During the End Phase, I Special Summon in Defense Position—Melffy Catty, Melffy Puppy, Melffy Fennec, and Melffy Wally!"
All four small animals gathered, occupying the remaining four Monster Zones on August's field.
"No matter how many weaklings you gather, the outcome won't change. My turn, draw!"
Drawing his card for the turn, even after Susanowo had been taken away, Lierman remained composed.
"The Bujin Emperors I can use aren't limited to just Susanowo. I activate the Spell Card [Bujincarnation]!"
[If your opponent controls a monster and you control none: Target 1 "Bujin" monster in your Graveyard and 1 of your banished "Bujin" monsters; Special Summon both.]
"I Special Summon [Bujin Torifune] from my Graveyard and [Bujingi Hare] from my banished zone!"
With a single card, Lierman once again assembled the conditions for an Xyz Summon—two Level 4 monsters.
[Bujin Torifune]'s wings split apart once more.
"I activate [Bujin Torifune]'s effect, Tribute it, and Special Summon [Bujingi Murakumo] and [Bujingi Peacock] from my Deck!"
Now there were three Level 4 monsters.
"And finally, I Normal Summon in Attack Position—[Bujingi Sinyou]!"
Four Level 4 monsters of different forms, the Bujingi, instantly assembled on Class B's field.
"O gods of fire and moon from myth, burn and illuminate my victory!"
Immediately, the four Level 4 monsters on Lierman's field began consecutive Xyz Summons.
"I overlay [Bujingi Murakumo] and [Bujingi Peacock]! Burn forth! [Bujintei Kagutsuchi]!"
"I overlay [Bujingi Hare] and [Bujingi Sinyou]! Shine forth! [Bujintei Tsukuyomi]!"
Two new Xyz Bujin Emperors, both bearing the names of gods, Kagutsuchi and Tsukuyomi, appeared on Class B's field at the same time.
The simultaneous descent of these two deities brought overwhelming pressure, on quite a different level compared to the pile of small animals on August's field.
"Oh, so you're gods too~" Miles smiled meaningfully.
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