"Normal Summon: 'Scrap Chimera'!"
Kira summoned the monster he'd just retrieved—almost as if searched straight from the deck.
Within the starlight, a metallic vortex shimmered with a strange blue glow. Thundering mechanical roars, two crimson beams shooting from its spiral.
Enormous steel talons gleamed menacingly, its metal frame cobbled together from rusted pipes, snapped chains, twisted rebar, sparks flickering in every gap. Its menacing head like a roaring lion, electric arcs dancing between metallic fangs.
[Scrap Chimera, ATK 1700]
"Scrap Chimera's effect: On summon, Special Summon a 'Scrap' Tuner monster from the grave."
Kira took back the monster from the grave.
"Tuner monster 'Scrap Orthros'!"
Just shattered a moment ago, the Orthros was back already; its metallic maw gaped, roaring with thunder, fangs clashing sparks.
[Scrap Orthros, ATK 1700]
"Level 4, Tuner 'Scrap Beast'!
Level 4, 'Scrap Chimera!'
Synchronize!"
[4 + 4 = 8]
"The gathering 'Scrap' awakens an indomitable soul—Synchro Summon! Roar—
— Level 8, Scrap Dragon!"
Rusty shards spun in the wind, drawn together by some invisible force, gathering in the Synchro light.
Gears meshed, steam screamed, and a titanic mechanical dragon tore down from red light. Its body held together by scrap steel, joints sparking violently, a cyclopean eye blazing crimson.
The steel dragon roared to the heavens, twin wings of scrap spreading wide, raining screws like a storm as if announcing rebirth from ruin.
Scrap Dragon—Summoned!
[Scrap Dragon, ATK 2800]
"Scrap Dragon!"
Akiza's eyes lit up.
Definitely a rare card, and the aura didn't disappoint either. Akiza instinctively guessed—maybe this was Goodwin's ace dragon as a Signer...
Of course, she only thought so inwardly. If Kira knew, he'd laugh at how obsessed she was with him being a Signer.
"Scrap Dragon's effect," said Kira, "Once per turn, target one card you control and one your opponent controls; destroy both."
He snapped his fingers.
"My own card: 'Scrap Orthros.'
Your card, naturally, 'Centaur Mina.'
Destroy them both!"
Scrap Dragon's eye flashed crimson, its jaws arching, armor vents spitting steam. With a metallic roar, it thrashed its tail—a massive ball crashing down like a meteor, sending out a circle of force.
ROAR!
The mechanical double-headed hound screeched, sparks bursting from its seams, then overloaded and exploded, metal fragments scattering in a violent shower. The energy blast smashed into the centaur knight, dissolving her into data and dissipating her from the field.
Sherry raised her arm, frowning: "He destroys both his and my monsters...wait, that Orthros' effect—"
"Sharp! A true duelist's quick on the uptake," Kira grinned.
"Scrap Orthros's effect: If destroyed by a 'Scrap' card effect and sent to grave, add a 'Scrap' monster except itself from grave to hand."
He extracted a monster from the grave, flashing it briefly.
"Return 'Scrap Chimera' to my hand from the grave."
Akiza now understood: "Right! Chimera's effect allows him to Special Summon a Scrap Tuner from the grave on summon—"
Elsworth also caught on, "So even if the board is wiped, as long as he can normal summon 'Scrap Chimera' next turn, he gets the level 4 Tuner back, and can instantly Synchro Summon a level 8 monster again!"
So long as he has Chimera in hand and any Scrap Tuner in grave, he basically has a free level 8 Synchro each normal summon.
And he not only launched a forceful offensive this turn, but secured next turn's follow-up as well.
So strong.
Elsworth silently admired him.
And to think, his tactics are nothing like the ones he used against me; it only adds to the awe.
Elsworth watched Sherry with growing concern.
Miss Sherry...
"Battle! Scrap Dragon, attack 'Apprentice Knight!'"
From Scrap Dragon's chest came a deep growl, steam billowing from its armor. The steel behemoth rampaged across the field, broken wings creating violent squalls, claws ripping through air, the knight's armor shredded like tissue.
Her sword snapped in the clash, pieces flying. But though knocked back by the overwhelming force, the apprentice knight stubbornly held her ground and was not destroyed.
[Sherry, LP 4000 → 2200]
Staggering from the hit, clutching her pounding heart, Sherry was stunned: "This pain—"
She looked up in shock.
Kira smiled faintly: "That's right. Duel damage isn't just holograms here – it's actual pain.
Now this is a real battle."
He paused, mocking her.
"Or did your fire for revenge get doused by a mere taste of pain?"
Enraged by the jab, Sherry snapped: "Don't joke!"
Years of grief and hurt, the nightmare of losing everything—how could this kind of pain change any of that?
"Don't get cocky yet!" Sherry barked, "'Superficial Peace's effect—this turn, my monsters can't be destroyed by battle!"
Kira just shrugged. He got his damage anyway.
"Set two cards, end my turn."
Sherry: "My turn, draw!"
She drew, then carefully eyed his backrow.
Three dark set cards.
One she already knew: Dimension Wall, the reflection trap. Last turn, Centaur Mina had negated and re-set it.
So now, any time she did enough damage, she'd have to be wary of traps reflecting it, and with only 2200 LP left herself, she couldn't afford to be reckless.
But she had a plan.
"Activate Spell: 'Monster Reborn!' Revive one monster from the grave—'Centaur Mina!'"
[Centaur Mina, ATK 2200]
"Then, normal Summon Tuner monster, 'Fleur Synchron!'"