"It's not over yet. I activate the second effect of [Megalith Hagith] on the field!"
Augustus stretched out his hand.
"During your Main Phase, you can activate this effect. Until the total Levels become equal to or greater than the Ritual Monster being Ritual Summoned, Tribute monsters from your hand or field, including this card on the field, then Ritual Summon 1 Ritual Monster from your hand."
The audience fell silent once again. Even the usually rowdy Slifer Red students widened their eyes.
Rikka tightly gripped the railing with both hands, her knuckles pressing hard against the metal pipe.
"He can still keep Ritual Summoning? Just how long can this guy keep summoning for?"
Everyone, including Rikka, felt an overwhelming pressure weighing down on them.
The Ritual Academy's specially recruited freshman this year was actually this strong.
"I Tribute Hagith on the field!" Augustus sent the monster card on his Duel Disk into the Graveyard slot. "Then I Ritual Summon from my hand–[Megalith Phuloch]!"
Shattered rocks burst apart as Phuloch appeared.
"After that, Chain-1: [Megalith Phuloch]. Chain-2: [Megalith Anastasis]."
"Chains resolve backward first. Second effect of the Continuous Spell [Megalith Anastasis]: once per turn, when you Ritual Summon a 'Megalith' monster, you can activate 1 of the following effects. First: draw 2 cards, then discard 1 card from your hand. Second: Tribute 1 monster your opponent controls. I choose to draw 2 cards!"
He decisively pulled two cards from the top of his Deck. After glancing at them, he directly slid another card into the Graveyard.
"After that, I discard [Megalith Phaleg]."
"Then comes the first effect of [Megalith Phuloch]: if this card is Ritual Summoned, you can add 1 'Megalith' card from your Graveyard to your hand." Augustus recovered his card. "I return the Phaleg I just discarded to my hand."
"Then I activate the first effect of [Megalith Aratron] in my hand!" Augustus raised the Ritual Monster card high.
"During either player's Main Phase, you can activate this effect by discarding this card from your hand. Until the total Levels become equal to or greater than the Ritual Monster being Ritual Summoned, Tribute monsters from your hand or field, then Ritual Summon 1 'Megalith' Ritual Monster from your hand."
Without any hesitation, he used the card that had just returned to his hand as Tribute.
"I Tribute Phaleg from my hand, then Ritual Summon from my hand–[Megalith Bethor]!"
A gigantic meteor suddenly descended from the sky. Cracks spread across its surface, then golden light burst out from within the fissures. A massive stone wyvern spread its wings and let out a hoarse roar.
"Bethor activates its second effect!" Augustus suddenly swung his arm forward, pointing toward Yunagi's side of the field. "If this card is Ritual Summoned, you can target cards your opponent controls up to the number of different Ritual Monsters in your Graveyard. Destroy those cards!"
Yunagi slightly raised his head and looked at the stone dragon statue gathering energy.
"So that means... everything you just did was only to fill your Graveyard?!"
"This is the weight of history!"
The phantom stone statues behind Augustus all emerged one after another. Every single one of them had been a sacrifice sent to the Graveyard for Bethor's Summon.
"Your two back-row cards and your two monsters on the field! Destroy them all!"
The entire stadium exploded with excitement!
Aside from the tense-faced Xyz Academy students, every other academy's students leapt to their feet in excitement. For Duelists watching from the sidelines, nothing ignited the blood more than witnessing a sequence this complex and tightly interconnected, all culminating in a devastating finishing blow.
The stone dragon known as Bethor came alive.
Blinding golden energy crazily condensed around its claws. The enormous power compressed to the extreme before erupting into a violent rain of light that instantly swallowed the seaside izakaya made of sushi, kicking up massive clouds of smoke.
The artificially generated explosions made even the spectator stands beneath their feet tremble slightly.
A simulated sea breeze swept across the Duel Arena, rapidly tearing apart and dispersing the smoke.
Yunagi's side of the field was in ruins. The two cards that had originally been Set in his back row had already dissolved into scattered points of light. However, at the center of the rolling smoke, the massive aircraft carrier decorated with shirauo and the battleship loaded with ikura still floated intact among the waves. Even the layer of seaweed serving as armor remained undamaged.
"Second effect of [Gunkan Suship Shirauo-Class Carrier]: as long as there is a face-up card in the Field Zone, your 'Gunkan' monsters Special Summoned from the Extra Deck cannot be destroyed by your opponent's effects, and their Attack increases by their original Defense."
Standing beneath the projection of the flagship, Yunagi patted the dust off his uniform.
"You forgot one thing."
He stared directly into Augustus's surprised eyes.
"Humanity's oldest creation was never giant stone monuments. It was food. Food... is the source of survival."
The eyes hidden behind Augustus's monocle narrowed a bit.
The golden light from Bethor had yet to completely fade, and the aftershock of the explosion still made the students in the front row instinctively raise their arms to shield their faces.
"I activate the second effect of the destroyed [Gunkan Suship Catch-of-the-Day]."
Yunagi's voice emerged from the smoke that had not yet fully dispersed, carrying an unquestionable calmness. Within the shattered remains of the izakaya, a wooden signboard that had originally been placed there snapped apart with a crisp crack.
"If this card is destroyed by your opponent, activate this effect. Your opponent pays 500 Life Points for each counter placed on this card. Since that meal earlier only counted as one counter, please pay 500 points for the bill."
Boom!
[Augustus, LP: 8000 → 7500]
"Is that so? You're really persistent over such a trivial amount of money."
Augustus brushed the dust from his sleeve cuffs.
"However, my turn isn't over yet–"
He pressed the confirmation button on his Duel Disk once again. On the field, the Level 4 stone idol [Megalith Phuloch] suddenly released a heavy tremor. Rainbow-colored light began leaking from the ancient cracks across its surface.
"I activate the second effect of [Phuloch]: until the total Levels become equal to or greater than the Level of the Ritual Monster being Ritual Summoned, I Tribute [Phuloch] on the field together with my main finisher, [Bethor]!"
"4 plus 8... Level 12?!"
The students in the stands rose to their feet in waves. In the Obelisk Blue dormitory district, Level 12 usually represented a powerful endgame monster.
How could a monster of that Level appear in the hands of a first-year student?
"From the depths of the ancient rock strata, let the echoes of eternity resound. Upon excavation, let rainbow light shine forth–"
Augustus reached toward the blinding radiance, his tone like someone reciting an epic.
"Ritual Summon. My greatest archaeological achievement–[Megalith Notrah Plura]."
At that moment, the air itself seemed to freeze.
The once-heavy clouds were violently torn apart by enormous golden stone wings. Six colossal wings blotted out the sky, surrounding a many-headed serpent formed from countless dark and multicolored crystals. The massive forked purple serpent tail coiled through the air above the arena, nearly enclosing the entire Duel Arena within its territory.
Although this monster radiated a spine-chilling sense of oppression, it also possessed a cold and sacred artistic beauty.
"Entering the Battle Phase."
The giant serpent in the sky reflected in Augustus's lenses.
"[Megalith Notrah Plura] attacks [Gunkan Suship Shirauo-Class Carrier]. Thank you for the meal. We shall gladly accept this food."
The multiple crystal serpent heads of Plura suddenly descended. Their massive shadows instantly swallowed the giant sushi aircraft carrier still sailing across the sea. With piercing shrieks, they devoured the delicious sushi feast.
Boom!
The waves shattered and churned violently. The aircraft carrier built from shirauo and seaweed collapsed beneath the giant serpent's bite.
3700 Attack against 2450.
Yunagi was pushed backward two steps by the incoming Duel shockwave, his sneakers carving deep marks into the grass.
[Yunagi, LP: 8000 → 6750]
"Then I activate the second effect of the Field Spell Card [Gunkan Sushipyard Seaside Supper Spot]!"
Even after taking damage, Yunagi's eyes remained clear and sharp. Without hesitation, he activated his trump card from amidst the ruins.
"Once per turn, if a 'Gunkan' monster you control that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck is sent to the Graveyard by your opponent: your opponent pays Life Points equal to that monster's Defense. After that, you can apply the following effect. ● Special Summon 1 [Gunkan Suship Shari] from your hand, then Xyz Summon 1 'Gunkan' Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck by overlaying it on that monster."
"Hmph. Such stubborn persistence."
Augustus let out a merciless sneer.
"Not happening. I activate the second effect of [Megalith Notrah Plura]: when your opponent activates a card effect, negate that activation and destroy it."
The giant serpent heads in the sky dived downward simultaneously, destroying the massive harbor.
The Field Spell that had supported the entire warship harbor shattered apart with a thunderous crash.
As the sea level receded, Yunagi's remaining [Gunkan Suship Ikura-class Dreadnought] lost its additional Attack boost.
[Gunkan Suship Ikura-class Dreadnought, ATK: 2500 → 2200]
Augustus took out a silk cloth and wiped his glasses.
"After that... my turn ends."
...
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