Chapter 106: When the Card Awakens
"Cyber End Dragon with 4000 attack points, the strongest Cyber Dragon ; even in the Skyscraper environment, it's enough to crush HEROes!"
The hero city in the night, and the super-giant mechanical monster attacking the hero city. The final mutual struggle made the ending of this duel wonderfully full of a sense of story and fantasy.
Even if the art style clashed with the Western fantasy other world, it was undeniable that, in another sense, it was very much in line with the romance between men.
"Hahahahahaha, I've never had such an exciting and enjoyable duel before. Yilin Austin, you are truly the best dueling opponent I've ever faced!"
"You flatter me, Senpai."
Yilin & Aisha: "==So, a man of deep sin, sigh!"
Taking another step forward, Dehao Caesar, pressing closer step by step, declared entry into this turn's Battle Phase, commanding the Cyber End Dragon, massive enough to almost dismantle the entire hero city.
"Unfortunately, enjoyable duels can't last forever. Time to decide the winner, Yilin Austin!"
The three giant mechanical dragon heads proudly lifted one by one, simultaneously condensing the brilliant flames of cybernetic evolution in their maws. In this instant, the hero city in the night was illuminated like the final white day nearing destruction.
"Destroy the darting Sparkman , surpass that speed!——『Eternal Evolution Burst !』"
The eternal evolution light condensed by the three dragon heads shot out and pierced through, traversing the entire hero city; wherever it touched, skyscrapers collapsed and vaporized.
However, as if to embody the bond between HEROes, just as the eternal evolution flames were about to engulf Sparkman, Flame Wingman (火焰翼人 - Huǒyàn Yìrén) flapped its wings and blocked in front of Cyber End Dragon's attack.
"——Activate Trap Card [Staunch Defender] ( Roadblocking Strong Enemy)!"
[Staunch Defender Trap Card Effect: When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Target 1 face-up monster you control; this turn, your opponent can only target that monster for attacks, and must attack that monster with all face-up Attack Position monsters they control.]
"Because of Staunch Defender's effect, this turn you can only choose to attack my [Elemental HERO Flame Wingman] !"
[Flame Wingman ATK: 2100→3100]
"Does it make a difference? You, Yilin Austin, with only 200 Life Points left, no matter which monster you use to take this eternal evolution flame, defeat is the only outcome!"
"The lingering light will become my possibility of reversal!"
As the duel progressed, the counterattack from struggling until the last moment. After the original card [Sudden Mutation] was activated, the truth of that unknown template card gradually began to surface in You Ling's (游零) mind.
If it's that card, I can win!
But the premise is to survive first.
"Then activate the second Trap Card——[Elemental Recharge]!"
[Elemental Recharge Trap Card Effect: For each face-up "Elemental HERO" monster you control, gain 1000 LP.]
"Because I control two Elemental HEROes, Sparkman and Flame Wingman, on my field, I recover 2000 Life Points! This eternal evolution light, I'll take it head-on!"
The triple-converged eternal evolution light was mostly blocked by Flame Wingman intercepting in front, but the unreasonably exaggerated power still sent Yilin's entire body flying backward.
Yilin LP: 200→2200→1300
You Ling, sent flying, completed the emergency Elemental Recharge at the last moment, causing his Life Points to climb back up a large chunk towards the safety line.
"Truly tenacious, Yilin Austin! Such willpower, it's a pity you're not a Duelist who controls Cyber Dragons. This is also the first time I've seen someone who can struggle more than me!"
Dehao Caesar's alternative praise, unsparing.
"Control Cyber Dragons? I think I'm still more suited for HEROes."
"Oh?"
Yilin: "You Ling..."
Propping herself up on her knees, You Ling wiped the black ash staining his fair cheeks and squeezed out a confident smile.
"Only those who want to become heroes are granted a HERO deck. Don't you think that's the coolest thing?"
Yilin: "⁄(⁄⁄•⁄⁄•⁄⁄)⁄!!!"
This sentence, to others, seemed like Yilin was praising herself, but Yilin herself knew it was You Ling praising her.
Her dream of wanting to become a hero who protects everyone, this man understood it better than anyone else.
"Y-you're also very cool, You Ling!"
"It's too early to say that now, Lin. Wait until I win this duel, then you can tell me."
"Mm!"
"Hahahahahaha!"
Dehao Caesar laughed heartily, ending the Battle Phase.
"I misspoke, Yilin Austin. That's right, only a Duelist who trusts their own deck can display this level of perseverance and strength. Cyber Dragon and HERO, who is cooler, let's decide the final victor here."
Caesar, entering Main Phase 2, placed 1 card horizontally in his Monster Zone.
"I summon in Defense Position——[Proto-Cyber Dragon] !"
[Proto-Cyber Dragon ★★★ LIGHT][Machine-Type/Effect ATK: 1100 DEF: 600]
[This card's name becomes "Cyber Dragon" while it is face-up on the field.]
Proto-Cyber Dragon, whose card name can be directly treated as Cyber Dragon, its volume, attributes, including Level, were all inferior. To be safe, Caesar also summoned this card in Defense Position.
"I set one more card, turn end!"
You Ling's fingertip pressed on the top of the deck in the Elven Eye.
"This is the last turn, victory or defeat, it all depends on this hand! My turn, draw!"
A similar yet not entirely identical flashing draw; the card, enveloped in golden light, resonated with the remaining unknown card in You Ling's hand.
Both template cards were drawn into You Ling's hand.
If Magic Society President Sheila was right, that dueling can awaken unknown cards.
Then now, undoubtedly, was the time of awakening.
Born from the effect of the forbidden card [Sudden Mutation], the unknown card that gathered Yilin's HERO and You Ling's soul.
The golden light enveloping the card gradually faded, but that brilliant gold still lingered on the card face, becoming a part of the card itself.
Yilin: "You Ling, these two cards are?"
"They are the brand new forms of the Mutated HERO, awakened in response to our expectations!"
Exactly identical to the card that surfaced in You Ling's mind last turn; the 「light」 left over from last turn will become the possibility of reversal.
"——Activate Quick-Play Magic [Mask Change] !"
[Mask Change Quick-Play Magic Card Effect: Target 1 "HERO" monster you control; send it to the Graveyard, then Special Summon 1 "Masked HERO" monster from your Extra Deck with the same Attribute as that monster.]
"Let the LIGHT Attribute [Elemental HERO Sparkman]undergo Mask Change, becoming a LIGHT Attribute Masked HERO!"