Chapter 147: Sword of the Seven Emperors
"Hope and bonds, you say?" Nash nodded. "A fine answer. As their former master, I acknowledge you! Now, let me see what they can do in your hands!"
"Battle!" Sugihara Yo roared. "I attack Silent Honor ARK with Hope Weaving Dragon - Spider Shark!"
As Sugihara Yo's voice faded, the Spider Shark lunged toward the massive ship in the sky. Simultaneously, the azure orbs of light swirling around it lit up.
"I activate the effect of Hope Weaving Dragon - Spider Shark! When a monster declares an attack, by detaching one Xyz Material from this card, all monsters your opponent controls lose 1000 ATK until the end of the turn."
After the Spider Shark roared, the giant ship in the sky began to tremble violently from the force of the soundwave.
Number 101: Silent Honor ARK ATK: 2100 → 1100
"And thanks to Abyss Shark's effect, the battle damage is doubled!"
"If that's all you've got, you won't break through my defenses so easily!" Nash said, as the phantom of a Trap Card materialized beside him.
"What?" Sugihara Yo was startled. Weren't his opponent's set cards already dealt with?
"I activate the effect of the Trap Card, Xyz Revival Splash, from my Graveyard! I banish this card from the Graveyard to target one WATER Xyz Monster I control. Then, I Special Summon one WATER Xyz Monster from my Extra Deck that is one Rank higher than the target, by using it as Xyz Material!"
"Using Number 101 as material, I Xyz Summon!"
A dark blue vortex opened in the sky, and the huge ship flew into it.
"Great chariot, guardian of my subjects' souls! Return from the yonder shore where even light cannot reach! Rank-Up Xyz Change! Come forth, Rank 5!"
"N.As.H. Knight!"
Within the great vortex, countless waves surged. A moment later, a fearsome-looking blue chariot charged out, positioning itself in front of Nash.
N.As.H. Knight DEF: 2700
"I see, a Trap Card from the Graveyard..." Facing the chariot that had suddenly appeared, Sugihara Yo grit his teeth. This monster's DEF was exactly 100 points higher than his Spider Shark's ATK, and he had already used Spider Shark's once-per-turn effect.
Sugihara Yo carefully checked the data on his Duel Disk.
"This monster's DEF is only 1700?" Sugihara Yo said, overjoyed. "That means I can use Shark Drake's effect! If I destroy it by battle, I can revive it in Attack Position and lower its ATK by 1000. Combined with Abyss Shark's effect, the second attack will deal 4200 damage, which is enough for the win!"
"But..." Sugihara Yo looked up at the smiling Nash standing behind the chariot. "Shark Drake was originally his monster. There's no way he doesn't know its effect. How can he be so calm?"
"Whatever. I don't have any other plays this turn," Sugihara Yo muttered, gritting his teeth. "Number 32: Shark Drake, attack N.As.H. Knight!"
"Trying to finish me with Shark Drake's effect?" Nash said calmly, watching the charging monster. "It's useless. Due to the effect of N.As.H. Knight, as long as there is a 'Number' monster on the field, this card cannot be destroyed by battle."
"So that's it?" Sugihara Yo grit his teeth as he watched the blue chariot remain completely unscathed by Shark Drake's attack.
"Then, I set two cards and end my turn."
"Before you do, I activate the effect of N.As.H. Knight!"
"During either player's Main Phase, I can detach two Xyz Materials from this card to choose one 'Number' monster between 'Number 101' and 'Number 107' from my Extra Deck and attach it to this card as an Xyz Material. Then, I can take one other face-up monster on the field and attach it to this card as an Xyz Material as well."
"I attach Number 103: Ragnazero from my Extra Deck to this card as material. Then, I'll absorb your Shark Drake from the field and make it material, too!"
As Nash spoke, the two blue orbs orbiting the chariot lit up and flowed into its central cannon. A phantom image of a monster with several sharp ice swords on its back appeared on Nash's Duel Disk before transforming into a new orb of light next to the chariot. At the same time, a blue chain shot out of the cannon, piercing Shark Drake and dragging it into the chariot.
"Another removal effect like this?" With his monsters being taken away one after another, Sugihara Yo was starting to get a headache.
"Since my monster's effect has activated, a replay occurs. Is there anything else you want to do?" Nash said unhurriedly.
"I'll end my turn as is," Sugihara Yo said through gritted teeth.
"My turn! I draw!" It was Nash's turn, but just as he drew, Sugihara Yo's voice rang out again.
"During your Standby Phase, I activate the Trap Card, Fish Depth Charge! By tributing one Fish monster I control, I can destroy one card on the field and draw one card."
"I tribute Xyz Remora to destroy your monster!"
As Sugihara Yo's face-down card flipped over, Xyz Remora transformed into a projectile that shot toward the blue chariot, blasting it into a pile of fragments.
"Very perceptive. So you found my monster's weakness? Even though N.As.H. Knight's effect is a Quick Effect, it can only be activated during the Main Phase. That's why you chose to act during the Standby Phase?" Despite his monster's destruction, Nash praised his opponent.
"Then, as a gift in return, allow me to show you the true power of the Barians," Nash said, revealing a Spell Card from his hand.
A rose-red light blazed from the card, momentarily blinding Sugihara Yo.
"What is this?" Sugihara Yo raised a hand to block the intense light, his teeth clenched.
"I activate the Rank-Up-Magic, Sword of the Seven Emperors!"
"I target one 'Over-Hundred Number' monster on my field, in my Extra Deck, or in my Graveyard. If the chosen monster is in the Extra Deck or Graveyard, I can Special Summon it, ignoring its summoning conditions, but its effects are negated. Then, I can Special Summon from my Extra Deck one 'Chaos' Xyz Monster with the same Number but one Rank higher by using that monster as the Xyz Material!"
"I Special Summon Number 101: Silent Honor ARK from my Graveyard, and then I use it to Xyz Summon again!"
"Guardian of unsatisfied souls, become the Dark Knight and shatter the light! Rank-Up Chaos Xyz Change! Appear! Chaos Number 101: Silent Honor DARK!"
(end of chapter)