"I overlay the Rank 5 Xyz Monster — Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga: Tenka Fubu — on top of Okita!"
[Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga: Tenka Fubu ☆☆☆☆☆ (Rank 5)][FIRE][Warrior/Xyz/Effect][ATK 3000/DEF 2500]
[If this card would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card instead.]
Nobunaga emerged from an explosion of flames, laughing boldly as if merely being overlaid on top of Okita had already allowed her to win fifty years' worth of life.
However, it was precisely because of this tangled relationship of "love and hatred" that Nobunaga's Xyz Monsters generally possessed effects that allowed them to be Xyz Summoned by being overlaid on top of an Okita Xyz Monster.
They also tended to have effects that, when destroyed, could bring an Xyz Okita back from the Graveyard by overlaying it beneath them.
"That last battle was so humiliating! This time, I absolutely have to win back my dignity!"
Controlling countless floating matchlock guns and pointing them toward the opponent, Nobunaga was apparently referring to the previous battle against King Utgarda, when she had been frozen and destroyed immediately after being summoned.
"Life is but fifty years. Skipping the middle part… Heavenly Demon Descends! Now perish beneath the bombardment of the Demon King's Three Thousand Worlds!"
"Go, Nobunaga! Destroy Elemental HERO Stratos!"
After performing the Rank-Up Summon during the Battle Phase, Hoshino continued with her attack declaration.
"This is the end, Hoshino Chiyuki."
Supreme King Jaden activated his power, and his cold eyes stared at her as the space around his body began to distort.
"This will be your final Duel. No matter how hard you struggle, you will never surpass this power! Quick-Play Spell—"
He flipped up the final Set card at his feet.
The power Supreme King Jaden unleashed belonged to that very card — the same card that had once possessed enough power to shatter even the dimensional walls.
"Super Polymerization—!"
[Super Polymerization — Quick-Play Spell Effect: Discard 1 card; Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from either field. Neither player can activate cards or effects in response to this card's activation.]
["He's using the power of Super Polymerization right at the beginning of the Duel?! I thought he'd only reveal a trump card like this when he was about to lose!"]
But in a real Duel, there was never any rule saying that a so-called trump card had to be revealed at the very last moment.
If it could suppress the battlefield in an instant, there was nothing wrong with revealing your trump card during the very first exchange.
Because of the terrifying energy of Super Polymerization, which could even affect dimensions, the entire Supreme King's Castle began shaking violently.
"So this means the Supreme King has become much more proficient at using the power of Super Polymerization."
Hoshino barely managed to steady herself amid the shaking.
She had an ominous feeling…
The proportion of Jaden Yuki's personality remaining within Supreme King Jaden had been further diluted.
Back when Jaden's original personality had still remained within him, the Supreme King would occasionally call Hoshino "Sensei."
But ever since he appeared this time, he hadn't called her that even once.
"I have to make it in time. You have to hold on, Jaden…"
"Don't be naïve! I activate the effect of Super Polymerization by discarding the HERO monster that Stratos searched earlier — Evil HERO Sinister Necrom!"
After discarding the card from his hand as the cost, the explosive power of Super Polymerization swept across the entire field.
It sucked Elemental HERO Stratos from Supreme King's field and Nobunaga, which Hoshino had Xyz Summoned, into the fusion vortex.
"Wait a minute! Not this ending again! Why have I been getting the Cú Chulainn treatment lately?"
Nobunaga, forcibly used as Fusion Material, was unable to activate either her effect that detached an Xyz Material to prevent her destruction or her effect that could Xyz Summon an Okita from the Graveyard after she was destroyed.
Just like when it had once fused with an entire dimension, Super Polymerization swallowed all the hopes of the Duel and transformed them into despair.
"— Super Polymerization Summon! Elemental HERO Nova Master!"
[Elemental HERO Nova Master ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][FIRE][Warrior/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2600/DEF 2100]
[1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 FIRE monster]
Using an Elemental HERO monster as its foundation and the FIRE-Attribute Oda Nobunaga as its Fusion Material, the Super Polymerization Summon brought forth Nova Master, whose flames engulfed the entire field.
"Well done, Jaden~" Yubel praised him. "In the face of Super Polymerization, even Xyz Monsters bathed in Xyz radiance have no way to escape."
Alexis said worriedly:
"A black hole that even light can't escape from… the effect of Super Polymerization seems to have no limits at all."
With the Xyz Summoned Nobunaga directly used as Fusion Material, Hoshino was left with an empty field and could only choose to end her turn.
"Is that it, Hoshino Chiyuki?" Yubel mocked.
"No. I activate the effect of Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc: Saint Maiden from my hand!"
[You can shuffle 1 "Heroic Spirit" Xyz Monster from your Graveyard into the Deck; Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position.]
"I return Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga: Tenka Fubu, which was sent to the Graveyard as Fusion Material, to the Deck! Then I Special Summon Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc: Saint Maiden! Go!"
Hoshino slammed Jeanne's card onto the Duel Disk.
Beneath the light of a sacred prayer, the youthful Jeanne d'Arc materialized onto Hoshino's field.
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc: Saint Maiden ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][LIGHT][Warrior/Effect][ATK 2500/DEF 3000]
"Let us fight together, Master, alongside the Heroic Spirits who stand against the odds!"
"Activate the effect of Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc: Saint Maiden!"
[When this card is Special Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "Heroic Spirit" monster from your Graveyard. The monster Special Summoned by this effect becomes Level 8, but its effects are negated.]
"I Special Summon Saber Lily in Defense Position, then change her Level to 8!"
[Artoria Pendragon Lily LV 4 → LV8]
"Finally, I overlay Level 8 Jeanne with Level 8 Saber Lily and Xyz Summon! — Thunder Before the Divine! Heroic Spirit – Tamamo-no-Mae: Divine Machine!"
The radiance of an Xyz Summon appeared once again.
Just like Hoshino's stubborn determination, she absolutely had to use this Xyz radiance to surpass the limits of Super Polymerization.
[Heroic Spirit – Tamamo-no-Mae: Divine Machine ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (Rank 8)][LIGHT][Machine/Xyz/Effect][ATK 2500/DEF 3000]
Tamamo-no-Mae's Xyz card was placed horizontally.
The blue mecha Divine Machine, Special Summoned with 3000 DEF, appeared on the field, while Tamamo sat cross-legged on the machine's shoulder.
At the very least, Elemental HERO Nova Master, with only 2600 ATK, wasn't going to be able to break through it.
"Migu~! The Marriage Fraud Execution Cannon is fully loaded and ready to fire at any time, Master!"
Tamamo patted the Divine Machine beneath her, a charming smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
["How dangerous. A move with a name like that definitely looks like it's aimed specifically at you, Aibo."]
"Too bad! I'm innocent, so I have nothing to fear! I activate the effect of Heroic Spirit – Tamamo-no-Mae: Divine Machine!"
[When this card is Xyz Summoned: You can target 1 card in your Graveyard; Set that card on your field.]
"Divine Residence, Izumo. — This is the proof of our freely given contract, the Divine Treasure Uka's Mirror. Suiten Nikkō Amaterasu Yashino Shizumeishi… just kidding☆"
As Tamamo wiggled her hips, the magical formula beneath the Divine Machine activated. Energy connected to the Graveyard Zone of Hoshino's Duel Disk, retrieving a card and placing it face-down on the field.
"Finally, I Set two cards and end my turn!"
[Hoshino: 2 Hand Cards | 2 Set Cards]
"Then, at the moment the turn ends, the effect of the Field Spell Fusion Recycling Plant activates!" Supreme King Jaden declared.
[During either player's End Phase: You can target 1 Fusion Material Monster in your Graveyard that was used for a Fusion Summon this turn; add that monster to your hand.]
"I return the Fusion Material used for Super Polymerization this turn, Elemental HERO Stratos, to my hand!"
"Then it's my turn. Draw!"
The turn changed hands.
Yubel drew a card and began her turn.
Minazuki asked curiously:
"As a Duel Monster Spirit, what would her way of Dueling actually look like?"
Akasha curled her lip disdainfully.
"The way Duel Monster Spirits Duel is pretty easy to guess. It'll be just like Okita, won't it? She'll keep Summoning her own original form over and over~"
Yubel placed a card from her hand into the Monster Zone of her Duel Disk and began with a Normal Summon.
"For this turn's Normal Summon, I Summon Armageddon Knight in Attack Position!"
[Armageddon Knight ★★★★ (Level 4)][DARK][Warrior/Effect][ATK 1400/DEF 1200]
A Dark Knight wearing a mask and sunglasses appeared on Yubel's field, a long sword in his hand.
"And now, the effect of Armageddon Knight—"
[When this card is Summoned: You can send 1 DARK monster from your Deck to the GY.]
"I send myself from my Deck to the Graveyard."
Yubel searched through her Deck and revealed the card she was about to send to the Graveyard.
The "myself" she was referring to was, naturally, the monster card Yubel.
["She sent herself directly from the Deck to the Graveyard. That's even more brutal than Okita."]
Yubel continued placing cards into her Duel Disk.
A flash of revival light appeared on her field.
"Next, Spell Card Monster Reborn! I Special Summon myself, the card I just sent to the Graveyard, in Attack Position!"
By first precisely sending Yubel from the Deck to the Graveyard and then reviving her with Monster Reborn, Yubel could avoid paying the Tributes normally required to Tribute Summon the Level 10 Yubel.
[Yubel ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)][DARK][Fiend/Effect][ATK: 0/DEF: 0]
Summoning herself, Yubel condensed dark energy around her body.
A second Yubel, identical in appearance, spread her demonic wings and stood on the field.
"A Level 10 monster with both 0 ATK and 0 DEF!" Minazuki exclaimed in surprise. "Just looking at it, you can tell this is the kind of monster you absolutely don't want to mess with!"
Yubel didn't take any further action.
Instead, she lovingly glanced at Supreme King Jaden, who was fighting alongside her.
The Supreme King immediately understood.
He banished a monster from the Graveyard Zone of his Duel Disk and activated its effect.
"The effect of the monster Evil HERO Sinister Necrom, which was sent to the Graveyard last turn as the activation cost for Super Polymerization!"
[You can banish this card from your GY; Special Summon 1 "Evil HERO" monster from your hand or Deck, except "Evil HERO Sinister Necrom".]
"Come forth! Special Summon! Evil HERO Infernal Gainer!"
[Evil HERO Infernal Gainer ★★★★ (Level 4)][EARTH][Fiend/Effect][ATK 1600/DEF: 0]
For the first time in this Duel, Supreme King Jaden summoned an Evil HERO monster.
"My coordination with Jaden is invincible."
Yubel smiled with satisfaction and continued her plays.
"Activate the effect of Evil HERO Infernal Gainer! By banishing this card, I can target 1 Fiend monster I control. That monster can attack twice this turn!"
The demonic power of consecutive attacks spread across the field.
After Evil HERO Infernal Gainer banished itself to activate its effect, its claw-like power attached itself to Yubel's hands.
"The Fiend monster I'm choosing is, of course, myself. That means I can attack twice this turn!"
Alexis tilted her head in confusion.
"What's the point of letting a monster with 0 ATK attack twice?"
"Now, receive the punishment of the combined power of Jaden and me, Hoshino Chiyuki! Enter the Battle Phase! I attack Heroic Spirit – Tamamo-no-Mae: Divine Machine with myself!"
Yubel spread her wings and charged forward.
Her claws, strengthened by Infernal Gainer's power, slashed toward Tamamo.
"What kind of attack is this, nya?!"
Startled by Yubel's sudden assault, Tamamo's tail puffed up as she instinctively narrowed her eyes.
"Hmm? It doesn't hurt! Migu~?"
However, Yubel's claws, despite having 0 ATK, produced no effect even after slashing across Tamamo-no-Mae's fair, pale cheek.
Tamamo immediately became smug.
"What? It was nothing but an empty threat! With a measly 0 ATK, you dare attack me? Counterattack, Divine Machine! Activate — Marriage Fraud Execution Cannon!"
Energy loaded into the Divine Machine, and its cannon fired directly at Yubel.
["Aibo, I remember Yubel's monster effect is…"]
"Yeah."
Although the Duel had taken place seven years ago, Hoshino still remembered Yubel's effects very clearly.
Yubel was a Level 10 monster with an enormous Level but only 0 ATK. Not only could she not be destroyed by battle, but whenever she battled, all battle damage that would normally be inflicted to her controller was instead inflicted to the opponent.
In other words, if Yubel with 0 ATK attacked Tamamo-no-Mae with 3000 DEF, Hoshino would directly receive the 3000 points of battle damage instead.
"Experience this despair! — Nightmare Pain!"
Yubel activated her own effect and gave a sinister smile as she reflected Tamamo's cannon blast back at her.
[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 8000 → 5000]
In the end, the Marriage Fraud Execution Cannon hit Hoshino instead.