VW-Tiger Catapult, 2000 ATK.
"Now, XYZ-Dragon Cannon and VW-Tiger Catapult, further combine!"
The Machines shifted and locked together with loud metallic clicks. Armor plates aligned precisely as the massive form completed itself.
"Fivefold Fusion! Level 8. VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!"
VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon stood tall with 3000 ATK, its cannons glowing.
"In one turn..." Manjoume muttered.
"VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, Effect Activation. Once Per Turn, banish one card on the field." Yugen pointed straight ahead. "Target Dark End Dragon. Dimensional bombardment!"
A beam of energy shot forward, tearing open space itself. Hard Armor Dragon's protection only stopped Destroy effects, not banishing. Dark End Dragon twisted and vanished into the Dimension.
"Next, direct attack with VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!"
The combined Machine unleashed a storm of multicolored blasts that crashed into Manjoume. The explosion forced him backward.
Manjoume, LP 4000 to LP 1000.
He struggled back to his feet, teeth clenched. Yugen calmly set two cards.
"I end my turn."
Manjoume: My Turn! Draw!
His field was suppressed again, and his Life Points had been pushed into a losing position. Manjoume clenched his teeth as he looked at the board. After all that effort and preparation, he refused to fall here, and especially not in front of this opponent again.
"Quick-Play Spell Burial from a Different Dimension. Return up to three monsters from the banished zone to the Graveyard. I return Dark End Dragon, which was banished by VWXYZ, to the Graveyard!"
The shadow of the black dragon appeared once more and sank back into the vortex of the Graveyard. The air around the arena felt heavy as the energy settled.
"Then I activate the Equip Spell Premature Burial!"
He revealed a card from his hand. "I pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon one monster from my Graveyard in Attack Position and equip this card to it!"
Manjoume, LP 1000 to 200.
Dark currents burst from the Graveyard, and the fierce black dragon rose again from the swirling void. It roared as it returned to the field.
"Revive Dark End Dragon!"
Dark End Dragon, ATK 2600.
The Duel Department Senior Host narrowed her eyes. If Dark End Dragon removed VWXYZ with its effect and attacked directly, this would be a comeback from the brink for Manjoume. Even the senior students nearby admitted that Dark End Dragon was a terrifying new ace.
"But the revived Dark End Dragon no longer has protection from Destroy," Yugen Do said calmly. "I activate my set Trap Card, Bottomless Trap Hole. When you Summon a monster with 1500 or more ATK, it is Destroyed and banished."
A dark pit opened beneath Dark End Dragon, leading straight toward the Different Dimension. Stripped of its resistance, the dragon was swallowed without a chance to resist.
"I knew it would not be that simple!" Manjoume shouted. "Quick-Play Spell Duality of Light and Dark! By Tributing a LIGHT or DARK monster on my field, I Special Summon a monster of the opposite Attribute from my hand!" (ANIME EFFECT)
He raised his arm as the storm gathered. "I Tribute the DARK Dark End Dragon!"
Darkness swallowed the dragon, and then a brilliant light burst outward. Radiance tore through the gloom as a majestic white dragon descended.
"Dispel the darkness and light the path to victory. Light End Dragon, Summon!"
Light End Dragon, ATK 2600.
It was the first time Manjoume had revealed this ace in public. The holy dragon's brilliance stood in sharp contrast to the dark dragon that had just fallen.
He did not stop there. "Spell Card Strange Clover. By discarding a Level 4 Plant monster, one monster I control can attack twice this turn. I discard Mystic Tomato. Light End Dragon can attack twice!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Gasps rose from the crowd. Even with lower ATK than VWXYZ, he clearly had a plan.
"Battle. Light End Dragon attacks VWXYZ!"
"This moment, Light End Dragon's Effect Activation! During battle, it loses 500 ATK, and the opposing monster loses 1500 ATK until the end of the turn!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Light End Dragon dropped to 2100. VWXYZ fell from 3000 to 1500.
The white light burst forward and tore through the massive machine. Explosions ripped across its armored body before it collapsed.
Yugen, LP 1900 to 1300.
"For the final blow!" Manjoume roared. "Light End Dragon attacks again! Flash Ascension!"
The wave of light surged toward Yugen. For a brief second, Manjoume believed it was over.
But a translucent mechanical figure appeared in front of Yugen, blocking the strike.
"Nani?!!?"
"Swift Scarecrow in the Graveyard. It can reduce battle damage from a direct attack to 0 once," Yugen said with a smile. "You sent it there with Card Destruction. Replacing both hands carries risks."
Manjoume felt the sting of the mistake. The victory that seemed within reach slipped away again.
He set one card. "End turn."
"My Turn! Draw. Spell Card Treasure of Adversity. Since you control a Special Summoned monster and I control none, I draw two cards." (ANIME EFFECT)
After drawing, Yugen Do revealed another card. "Equip Spell, DimensionDestroy Cannon Super Thunder Alliance. I Special Summon VWXYZ from my Graveyard ignoring conditions and equip this card. Its effects are negated." (ANIME EFFECT)
VWXYZ returned with 3000 ATK. Then Machina Fortress revived by discarding Machina Megaform.
Machina Fortress, ATK 2500.
In an instant, two High-Level Monster monsters stood on his field again. The momentum had shifted once more.
"Battle. VWXYZ attacks Light End Dragon."
"Light End Dragon's Effect Activation!" Manjoume declared again, lowering its own ATK to 1600 and VWXYZ to 1500.
At that moment, he flipped his final Back Row. "During damage calculation, Quick-Play Spell Forbidden Chalice! One face up monster gains 400 ATK and its effects are negated!"
"I negate my own Light End Dragon!" he laughed.
Light End Dragon's lost ATK returned and increased by 400, rising to 3000. VWXYZ remained at 1500. The reversal drew shocked cries from the audience.
"Counterattack!" Manjoume shouted.
"Not yet," Yugen interrupted. "I activate Trap Card Counter Shield." (ANIME EFFECT)
He Tributed Machina Fortress, adding its 1600 DEF to VWXYZ's ATK during damage calculation.
VWXYZ surged from 1500 to 3100.
The machine now overpowered Light End Dragon again. Manjoume felt his chest tighten, but he told himself it was not over yet. He would survive with 100 Life Points.
"Do you know why I chose VWXYZ to attack first?" Yugen asked lightly. "I had to be sure I could finish it."
He revealed another Trap Card from the Graveyard. "Skill Inheritance. I banish it from the Graveyard during my turn. One monster gains 800 ATK until the end of the turn."
VWXYZ rose to 3900 ATK.
Manjoume stared in disbelief. Even the Graveyard had another trap waiting.
"This is the true finale," Yugen Do said. "VWXYZ attacks. Justice from Above."
Missiles and beams rained down, swallowing Light End Dragon in explosions that shook Manjoume's field.
Manjoume, LP 200 to 0.
Manjoume collapsed onto the ground, his clothes in disarray, eyes empty and face stiff.
He had lost again.
He had prepared carefully and gained new power, and before coming today he had been confident. But in the end, nothing had changed from before.
At the Moonlight Cup he could still tell himself he had been careless or unlucky. This time, he had no excuse left.
Across the field, Yugen was putting away his Duel Disk. He still looked relaxed, without the sharp aggression or tension most people showed in a Duel.
That calm attitude made Manjoume feel once more like he was nothing special.
His fists tightened without him noticing.
The senior host stepped forward with a smile. "Congratulations to Yugen for winning this year's Rookie Cup. As this year's top newcomer in the club, do you have anything to say to everyone?"
Yugen thought for a moment. "I am not very good with speeches. I just hope we can all enjoy our Duel together in the future."
The students who had faced him before all stiffened at once, as if triggered by instinct.
The new members of the department had already reached a silent agreement. Watching this senior duel was fun, but being the one across from him was another matter. The joy of a Duel clearly depended on someone else suffering.