The turn once again came to Tierra.
Not far away, Professor Banner, quietly watching his disciple duel from a corner, fingered his staff, sinking into deep thought.
He had nothing to say about the duel's content. Light had already crossed his difficulty level a year ago, and this year had become stronger than ever. His dueling caliber was beyond questioning.
As for emotional matters, he didn't understand those either, so he had nothing to evaluate.
But...
He was an alchemist.
He was an extremely powerful alchemist.
He was the currently existing, known, strongest alchemist!
Perhaps, whether Hikaru or Jaden, they had surpassed him in specific fields. But in "the entire field of alchemy," he was the rightful strongest!
So earlier, when he'd come to find Light, when the other party had voiced his doubts, he had actually already understood.
Light's Fusion, his alchemy, valued embracing all things.
But!
In the very beginning of beginnings.
The first existence he met in the true sense, one that could converse, help him, progress alongside him, and mutually encourage him, was the first existence he "rejected" in the true sense!
Unlike that "non-Fusion" portion of the Fusion Army that he had rejected from the bottom of his heart, Tierra, an existence clearly capable of communication, had always been kept at a wary distance by him.
Perhaps under the flow of time, Light and Tierra's relationship was no longer as simple as being cooperation partners. But flaws still existed.
Now, clearly, Light had realized his own error and truly decided to discuss this issue here with Tierra.
"My turn, draw."
Tierra looked at the card she'd drawn, then looked at the field.
Among Hikaru's Set cards, one was Shaddoll Schism. The other was unclear.
Considering it was Hikaru, it was most likely Polymerization, with lower probability a Fusion-support card, and even lower probability a Flame Sword Dance-type multifunction Fusion card.
The last time Tierra had checked Hikaru's deck, Flame Sword Dance was no longer there. That had been the Flame Sword Dance Tierra had stuffed in herself.
For many people in this world, their deck was their greatest secret and greatest taboo. Never mind others, even one's own parents couldn't casually modify one's deck.
But Tierra had this privilege.
Hikaru never stopped her either.
Fundamentally, one reason was that Tierra rarely actually involved herself in other matters. Another was that Hikaru also greatly trusted Tierra and was happy to let her try tackling "deck construction."
Only this way could one grow faster.
Card-playing technique could be trained through repetition by anyone.
But dueling understanding, deck composition, couldn't be trained by practice. It required real experience and genuine "losses" to be remembered.
"Spell Card, Advance Draw." Tierra casually put down a card. "Tribute 1 face-up Level 8 or higher monster on my field to activate. Draw 2 cards from my Deck."
"I tribute my own body, draw 2 cards from my Deck."
Tierra's deck was full of high-Level monsters of all sorts. To facilitate tactics, she chose to use cards like Advance Draw or Trade-In.
Although she had never had "dead hands" in a real duel, when she played cards with Serena ordinarily, she couldn't use her own power to play cards. So she still needed cards like these.
"Because this card's effect is drawing after the cost, even if you Set a Counter Trap, you can't stop it, Hikaru."
Hikaru nodded.
So...
"Open Set card." Hikaru decisively flipped his Set card.
"Continuous Trap Card, Shaddoll Schism!"
"Banish El Shaddoll Construct and Edge Imp Chain in my Graveyard, Fusion Summon, Level 5, El Shaddoll Winda."
The little green-haired puppet appeared before Hikaru, corresponding distantly to Tierra.
El Shaddoll Winda. Level 5, DARK Attribute, Spellcaster-Type. ATK 2200.
"He prioritized the Fusion."
"Yes, after all, Infernoid monsters can all be Special Summoned directly without needing to activate."
"Thoughts like 'let the opponent Special Summon then chain Special Summon Winda to prevent the opponent's Special Summoning' absolutely can't complete the tactic. It only backfires."
Those who understood this combo were quite many. So no one specifically explained.
Tierra looked at Winda on Hikaru's field, stopping her motion, not continuing to duel.
"Winda... contact with the El Shaddoll Fusion, that is, so-called contact with my body double." Tierra slightly moved her limbs, then pointed at her own face and said, "This face, this body, isn't mine. It's Winda's.
Hikaru, for you, you've never made contact with the true me. So how can you arrive at your own answer?"
This sentence pulled quite a few watching people and spirits out of the duel's content to contemplate this question.
A borrowed body?
Someone else's appearance?
"When life form, physique, size, and lifespan are all different, what exactly is the answer of the duel?"
Tierra touched her left face with one hand. In an instant, Tierra's left half body transformed from flesh and blood into silver-white, savage mechanical structure. Various wires like blood coiled and interlaced, looking like snakes swallowing electricity and light.
This sudden change startled quite a few watchers, especially the two very young children who were so frightened they directly hugged each other. Older ones like Serena also went pale at this point, looking quite afraid.
As for Jaden and his group, they'd seen far too many spirits and encountered many non-normal life forms. Although Tierra's current appearance had been deliberately designed for horror, it wasn't enough to scare them.
Professor Crowler, on the other hand, cried out "Mamma mia" and hid behind the students in fright.
Tierra had no interest in these people's reactions and didn't take them to heart.
Actually, she had no interest in her own life form. Even flesh and blood made no difference to her, because whatever state she was in, she treated herself as a machine.
But unlike her, humans had their own instinctive judgment.
"What does that even matter."
Hikaru asked in return.
He lightly pinched his own cheek. His whole person, like Tierra, spoke with a slight puzzlement and melancholy: "By now, Tierra, there's no need to ask this question, is there?
After all... I myself don't know whether I'm human or some other strange thing."
"Perhaps... I actually never truly 'met' you either." Hikaru said back with a smile. "Thinking of it this way, it's actually rather nice.
Because in this duel, whatever came before, you and I are both truly ourselves."
To prove this point, Hikaru had even used Super Polymerization at the very start.
Tierra paused.
She pressed her lips slightly, then slowly began to smile.
Yes...
Hikaru's body wasn't his own either.
That being the case, what did it matter?
Her relationship with Hikaru wasn't built on outward appearance, but on ideals, built on cognition.
Even if she were a card that couldn't speak, Hikaru wouldn't change his attitude.
Because... this was Hikaru.
But this was actually what she was most torn over.
"Hikaru..." She slowly spoke.
That day, in the duel with Sophia, the things Sophia had said had made Tierra think deeply for a long while.
She was the god of death, the god of cycles. She was a Star-Creating Goddess.
Constructing a perfect ecological world was her duty and authority.
For her, so long as this purpose could be achieved, whether life or death, whether carbon-based or silicon-based life, all were merely one link in the life system.
With her reminiscence, her recounting, the surrounding people and spirits gradually understood and recognized what kind of existence Tierra truly was. In their minds, they imagined an enormous Tierra running a planet like a simulation-management game.
"That day, I felt fear."
"Not fear of Sophia, but fear of the thing she said."
"Could I discard Hikaru, or watch Hikaru die?"
"Could I still coldly carry out what I should do?"
Tierra lightly clenched her fists.
"Now, I've won against Sophia. I've achieved victory. This means I have an opportunity that belongs solely to me.
This opportunity is too rare. Even in dreams, even in death, I've yearned for this unique chance to rebuild a world of my imagination and then watch this world develop and operate.
This is what I most desire. I never want to give it up!"
Her fists clenched tighter, making clicking sounds. "Do you know how long I waited for this opportunity?
Sophia and I contested for the planet's usage rights, for the design of the reincarnation system, for the creation of life. For this, we fought for tens of thousands of years. Even when I was defeated by her and sealed within the Sacred Star Tree, I manufactured a backup robot, preparing to find a way to revive.
Even if it meant killing life on the planet, controlling the bodies of the dead, so long as I could revive, so long as I could create a world according to my vision, I was willing to do it."
"And now... the opportunity has finally appeared before me once more."
Sophia, who had all along kept a smile watching the show, gradually cooled her expression. She also furrowed her brow, appearing to feel considerable empathy for Tierra's words.
"To be honest, Hikaru, although I've only been with you for two years, this period, I've lived very happily. Even now it's like this. Even dueling you, it's like this." Tierra spoke seriously.
"But..."
"I also want to return to the past."
"Return to the beginning."
"Return to the moment when I was still the Star-Creating Goddess."
"Return to when I was still cold, ruthless, cruel, bloody, mad, the me who would use any means for my objective!"
The topic was heavy.
Even somewhat terrifying.
None of the spectators dared to speak.
Hikaru, having listened to Tierra's words, didn't respond either. As if dazed, he stood in place blankly.
Tierra didn't continue. She drew two cards from her Deck. Seeing one of the cards she'd drawn, she narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Send Infernoid Onuncu and Infernoid Devyaty in the Graveyard for re-launch. Special Summon, Infernoid Attondel."
Infernoid Attondel. Level 8, FIRE Attribute, Fiend-Type. ATK 2800.
With its Special Summoning, purple puppet strings coiled onto her Duel Disk.
But she didn't care about this.
"Uh? She didn't Special Summon a stronger Devyaty or Onuncu?"
"Not sure. That deck is unique to Her Excellency Tierra. Who knows what significance there is?"
But regardless...
Its ATK exceeded Winda!
"Battle. Attondel, attack Winda."
Crimson hellfire blazed, destroying Winda.
The flames traveled along the dueling arena, spreading to Hikaru's body. He neither flinched nor dodged, taking this fire head-on.
Hikaru, LP: 4000 → 3400.
"The two sides' Life Points are now equal."
"But Winda still has a monster effect."
That's right. The recycle effect!
"Attondel's effect. When it destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, activate. This card can attack once more."
"Winda's effect. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, target 1 Shaddoll Spell or Trap Card in the Graveyard to activate. Add that card to the hand. I choose Shaddoll Fusion."
Attondel couldn't activate to chain during this phase, so Tierra didn't react. But at this moment she was more anticipating Hikaru activating Magnum the Reliever's effect.
Hikaru didn't continue with a chain.
So the two sides' cards began to switch positions. Hikaru again obtained Shaddoll Fusion.
"Main Phase 2. I tribute Attondel, banish Shaddoll Schism in your Graveyard."
Immediately after, Shaddoll Schism in Hikaru's Graveyard was scorched by the fire's power, gradually vanishing. Hikaru, seeing this, showed no surprise whatsoever.
This scene left quite a few people puzzled. Since Winda had already been dealt with, why tribute Attondel instead?
Looking at it, it didn't quite seem worth it.
So a question arose.
This way, Tierra's field had absolutely no monsters usable, and in the Graveyard only Infernoid Evil and Infernoid Tierra remained that could serve as materials for Attondel's summoning.
But even one Attondel, at 2800 ATK, how long could it hold?
"Send my own mechanical remains and Evil for re-launch. Special Summon, Infernoid Attondel."
Attondel's repeated summoning made quite a few people feel great surprise.
Whether this duel or Tierra's Onuncu last time, both displayed a kind of insistence in Tierra's dueling.
That was, no matter how many times she entered the Graveyard, she'd return from death.
"Evil's effect activates." Tierra raised her left hand. Blue flames spread across the dueling arena, making the already-cold air even colder.
"When this card is sent to the Graveyard or banished, activate. Add 1 Void Spell or Trap Card from my Deck to my hand."
"I add Void Imagination to my hand!"
Tierra was the source of purgatory. She could freely manufacture Void Spell Cards, and she wasn't going to be stingy manufacturing useful Spells like this.
After that alt-art version of Imagination was destroyed, Tierra immediately chose the normal version of Imagination.
"Next, activate the effect of Void Reignition in the Graveyard. If I control no monsters or only Fiend monsters, banish this card that wasn't sent to the Graveyard this turn from the Graveyard, target up to 11 of my banished Infernoid monsters with different names to activate. Those monsters return to the Graveyard!
This effect can only be used once per Duel."
"Eh!?"
"Huh?"
Strong, and dominating effect!
Considering Infernoids' powerful Graveyard self-Special-Summon ability... this card was too strong!
"Now this is what a 'once per Duel' effect should look like." Jaden scratched the back of his head, feeling emotional.
"I return all Infernoid monsters other than my own body from the re-launched state, and re-enter the cycle!"
"Sss... this is bad. The situation is very disadvantageous for Amagi." Chazz, seeing this, couldn't help feeling apprehensive.
The next situation went without saying!
The Infernoids' mad self-summon was about to begin again!
After all, Tierra had 11 Infernoid monsters in her Graveyard, and the second Void Imagination she'd just searched in her hand.
Next would surely be Devyaty summoning Onuncu summoning...
But before that...
"Send Pirmais, Antra, Harmadik in the Graveyard for re-launch once more. Special Summon, Infernoid Devyaty."
"Activated when Devyaty is Special Summoned. Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field other than Void cards!"
Tierra waved her hand, controlling her creation to whip up a wild wind.
"So cautious!"
Atticus Rhodes instantly understood her line of thinking.
Even now, Tierra hadn't forgotten Magnum the Reliever's effect that hadn't been activated yet!
If she'd carelessly activated Void Imagination directly, Magnum the Reliever could very well banish a card from the Graveyard to destroy Imagination. By then she wouldn't be able to do anything!
But now, with Devyaty on the field, she could not only destroy Hikaru's back-row Set card and the Shaddoll Schism he could continue using next turn, but could even use Devyaty's effect to counter Magnum the Reliever!
"...Magnum the Reliever's effect. When another card's effect is activated, banish 1 Spell Card with 'Fusion' in its name from my Graveyard, target 1 card on the field to activate. That card is destroyed.
I banish Contact with the El Shaddoll Fusion from my Graveyard to destroy Infernoid Devyaty on your field!"
"Finally couldn't help it, Hikaru." Tierra, seeing this, couldn't help laughing softly. "But it's already too late!"
"Infernoid Devyaty's effect. Tribute itself, negate your monster's effect and banish!"
Devyaty opened its enormous draconic maw and spat fire like ice. The ram-horned demon couldn't withstand the opponent's powerful effect, and under the tearing slowly shattered.
"Not only destroying the entire field's Spells and Traps but also negating monster effects, so it really is a pair with that Onuncu..."
With Magnum the Reliever's disappearance, the Spell and Trap Cards on Hikaru's and Tierra's fields also gradually began to crack.
The first to shatter was Shaddoll Schism on Hikaru's field. With this card's disappearance, the Set cards on Hikaru's and Tierra's fields also gradually began to flip over.
What Tierra had Set was Continuous Trap Card, Rebirth Judgment.
So long as this card existed on the field, once per turn, declare a Type to activate. This turn, monsters in both Graveyards become the declared Type.
Nothing particularly special.
But it was Tierra's long-held obsession.
What Hikaru had Set was...
Trap Card, Waking the Dragon!
Tierra lightly furrowed her brow.
Waking the Dragon, huh.
Looked like it was prepared in anticipation that she'd destroy all Spells and Traps.
However, if it was Waking the Dragon, it wasn't that dangerous.
At worst she'd Special Summon a Naturia Exterio. For her, it wouldn't have much effect. She just needed to Special Summon Onuncu and destroy it.
"Waking the Dragon's effect. When this Set card leaves the field due to an opponent's effect, whether sent to the Graveyard or banished, activate. Special Summon 1 monster from my Deck or Extra Deck."
Looked like he wanted to Special Summon a defensive means?
Many spirits nodded inwardly.
As expected of Light, thinking two steps ahead. This Set card, Her Excellency Tierra was bound to blow up, so it'd definitely come in useful.
Just, they didn't know what kind of Fusion Monster he'd use...
"According to Waking the Dragon's effect, I'll Special Summon 1 monster from my Deck."
"?" Tierra lightly raised her eyebrows.
What?
"From my Deck, I Special Summon, Level 3 Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio."
Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio. Level 3, DARK Attribute, Plant-Type. ATK 1200.
!!
She instantly understood what Hikaru was about to do.
"Ophrys Scorpio's effect. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, send 1 monster from my hand to the Graveyard to activate. Special Summon 1 Predaplant monster other than Ophrys Scorpio from my Deck!"
"Huh?"
"Eh..."
"Wait!"
"It can't be!"
Cries of surprise rose one after another.
"From my Deck, I Special Summon, Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra!"
A flower rose from the ground of the dueling arena, transformed into a snake, tongue flicking like flower stamens.
Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra. Level 3, DARK Attribute, Plant-Type. ATK 1000.
"Darlingtonia Cobra's effect. When this card is Special Summoned by a Predaplant effect, activate.
Add 1 Spell Card with 'Fusion' in its name from my Deck to my hand."
Silence.
Terrifying silence!
"I choose... Quick-Play Spell, Super Polymerization!"
Hikaru raised his left hand. A card automatically flew out from the bottom of his Deck, slowly stopping in his hand.
That terrifying power, held back yet moving all directions, foretold its absolutely unbeatable, unstoppable supreme force!
This was...
Super Polymerization!
The atmosphere instantly grew stiff.
No one voiced any views anymore.
Super Polymerization could not be chained to by any card.
In other words, now, no matter how many Infernoids Tierra Special Summoned, she could not change the current situation!
Because Onuncu and Devyaty, possessing monster-effect-negation ability, would inevitably be fused by Super Polymerization!
Seeing Super Polymerization's appearance, Tierra gradually understood.
At the start, Hikaru's sending Predaplant Chimerafflesia to the Graveyard wasn't just because he preferred Chimerafflesia's effect, but because...
He wanted to search Super Polymerization!
Hikaru never told lies!
If he said he'd show his full strength, he'd show his full strength. If he said he'd show his sincerity, he'd show his sincerity!
Only, this sincerity was truly too oppressive.
No one, knowing the opponent had Super Polymerization in their hand, could remain unworried in the slightest.
"This..."
A group of spirits looked at each other, unable for a moment to know what to say.
By now, the so-called "watching the show" behavior had completely stopped.
All the spectators, at this moment, realized.
This duel wasn't merely "spectacle."
Much more, much deeper things were slowly being displayed.
They should no longer make any sound to disturb any duelist's thoughts!
"Tierra."
Tierra looked at the other party.
"Earlier, that Great Leader said I wasn't 'complete.' After that, I've kept thinking, why exactly is that."
"Am I human? Am I a spirit? Are my memories accurate? Am I actually me?"
"But... by now, I've thought it through."
"Whether the me as Hikaru [Amagi Hikaru], or the me as Light, or the me as your friend, all are the same me."
Hikaru opened his Graveyard, checked his Extra Deck. As he looked, he spoke: "My Fusion is the Fusion that advances alongside you. My alchemy has also, under your help, gradually walked its proper mass points.
For me, every one of those facets is largely me. So I shouldn't hide or discard any single side."
Hikaru raised those Fusion Monsters, those low-Level monsters.
Shaddoll monsters, Gem-Knight monsters, Metalfoes cards, Infernoid cards. All the cards, in fact, were not Hikaru's solo creations, but had been born under joint research.
"My Fusion, just like my deck, is already inseparable from you. And just like me, in your deck, there are also cards that I use."
"I think... there's already no such thing as an 'original form' anymore, is there?"
"..." Tierra hadn't caught her breath.
After a moment, she finally spoke: "But for me, was this brief instant an illusion or my change? I myself don't know.
Unless..."
"Unless we head toward the same goal together, without influencing each other."
"That's right, but..."
"It can be done." Hikaru suddenly changed his line and spoke. "From when you repaired the first spirit dimension until now, we've made many attempts, haven't we?
The DT Planet may perhaps never reappear.
But...
The Great Cosmos Dimension I've inherited can always open its doors for you.
Not only that, there are also the dimensions we've adventured in together, and the Frightfur Sanctuary.
These are all new changes, new creations we've made together!"
Tierra's hand trembled slightly.
She lightly pressed her hand against her chest.
The sound of her heartbeat carried into her mind.
Was this... the response of a flesh-and-blood body?
Truly outdated, and yet... exhilarating.
She patted her own face.
"All of this has one prerequisite."
"I understand."
"Don't think you've already won." Tierra looked at the card on her left. "Don't think my power is only this much."
Tierra stared hard at that gleaming card and continued: "The duel continues!"
To her left, a card glowing with light was slowly being shaped. Now it was almost complete.
Before this, Tierra had more stable tactics. But because of Winda, she couldn't directly use them.
But now...
"Activate Continuous Spell Card, Void Imagination. All Infernoid monsters on the field become Level 1."
"In the Graveyard, Infernoid Piaty banishes Onuncu and Devyaty, Special Summon."
"In the Graveyard, Infernoid Sjette banishes Astaroth and Baal, Special Summon."
Changed tactics?
Most spectators hadn't caught their breath from Hikaru's super-direct declaration. Only Jaden and Yusei had already begun focusing on the duel.
Although Yusei felt something... uh... unusual about the way Hikaru and Tierra were with each other, he'd also summarized quite a bit of meaningful information from this duel.
Among them, the most important point was...
Respect, equality!
This deeply inspired him, and he finally understood where the "question" he hadn't been able to figure out before had come from.
That was also why he paid more attention to the duel than others did.
Tierra's abnormal operation made him detect a hint of strangeness.
Tierra looked at her hand, looked at the field, and pondered for a moment.
Along with her participation in this duel, her true "body" was beginning to revive. Her genuine "true form" in this era was finally slowly manifesting.
The current situation actually wasn't very good for her.
But...
As long as her true form descended, all "bad situations" would no longer exist!
"Activate Fire Recovery's effect in the Graveyard. Return banished Onuncu, Devyaty, and myself to the Deck, draw one card."
She didn't want to lose awkwardly like this so directly.
But whether the next draw could become the last straw to save her, she had no idea.
She placed her hand on the top of her Deck. At this very moment, she actually prayed that the Deck would respond to her expectation. Just like Hikaru.
"Draw!"
Purple light flashed by.
She looked at the card she'd drawn, her eyebrows arching. Overjoyed: "Activate Void Breach.
If I control no monsters or only Fiend monsters, choose one of its effects to activate. I add the banished Pirmais to my hand, then banish Baal, Special Summon Pirmais."
"How... she Special Summoned so many monsters?"
"There are already 4. What is Big Sister Tierra trying to do?"
Tierra ignored these people's thoughts and activated her final card: "Equip Spell Card, Premature Burial. Pay 800 Life Points, revive 1 monster in the Graveyard, and equip this card."
Tierra, LP: 3400 → 2600.
She looked at the card she'd drawn this turn and finally slowly nodded.
"Here I come, Hikaru... Since you want to go all-out, then I too will go all-out! In the truest sense!"
"Reveal cards!"
Tierra spread both hands. Cards once more began circulating and flying around her.
"Equip Spell Card Premature Burial, Continuous Spell Card Void Imagination, Continuous Spell Card Void Breach, Monster Cards, Infernoid Pirmais, Infernoid Piaty, Infernoid Sjette, Infernoid Attondel, Infernoid Decatron!"
Immediately after, Tierra also flung her hand cards out. The cards flew in the air, as if foretelling, calling for something.
"Reveal hand!
Apoqliphort Skybase, Qliphort Stealth!"
"This, what's this situation?"
Whoever it was, at this very moment, could feel a strange power, an unbelievable, uncanny power.
"Reveal ten different cards. Let them all return to my Deck and Extra Deck!"
The monsters and Spells on the field began flowing backward madly, as if a rewind button had been pressed!
Time itself seemed to flow in reverse. The night's moon began to rise, then evening glow, then noon sunlight, then finally dawn!
"The moment of destruction has passed. Now, begin the return to the primordial!
Manifest!
My true power!"
"Level 11."
"Tierra, Source of Destruction!"
The formerly serpentine phantom of Tierra slowly stood upright. Then the components of Qliphort flew in from all directions, together constructing her limbs and the core of her wings.
Holy radiance illuminated the entire dueling arena.
The red flame of life warmed the nearly deathly-silent air.
Yusei looked at his own arm, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes. In this instant, he actually felt his lost life force gradually flowing back.
Jack looked in shock at the scar on his left arm. That scar gradually widened, then grew fresh, began bleeding, then slowly shrank, until it seemed as if he had never been injured.
All things, in this instant, seemed to return to the starting point!
"My Special Summon cannot be negated." Tierra herself floated before the enormous Tierra's abdomen cockpit and spoke calmly.
"Also, in response to my effects, no Spell, Trap, or monster effect can be activated."
Wha!?
Actually the same-tier absolute-invincible effect as Super Polymerization!?
"Activated when I am successfully Special Summoned. Cards other than myself, both players' hand, field, Graveyard cards, plus face-up Pendulum monsters in the Extra Deck, return to their owners' Decks!"
!!!????
All of them!?
Wasn't that... no way to defend at all?
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
Cards in both players' Graveyards rapidly began flowing back from the Graveyard, flying to their respective Decks. Hikaru's field monsters, without realizing anything, crawled back into the Deck in reverse. At the end of the divine light, even the cards in Hikaru's hand returned to his Deck.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
The Decks shuffled swiftly. Finally, with a ding, they stopped.
"This..."
Everyone stared blankly at this scene.
No response method whatsoever!
Even "Infernoid Tierra" could have cards like Nekroz of Sophia or Effect Veiler to prevent being directly dealt with.
But...
Tierra, Source of Destruction had no defensive means at all!
No card could stop her appearance. No card could interfere with her effect usage!
Everyone looked at Hikaru's field.
Hikaru LP: 3400.
Graveyard: 0. Hand: 0. Field: 0!
No cards at all!
Even Infernoid Tierra could use Graveyard effects to respond. But now...
Nothing could be done!
And across the field, that Star-Creating Goddess's ATK was...
3400!
If next turn, Hikaru didn't draw a monster, taking a direct attack would mean losing outright!
And even if he drew something like Shaddoll Fusion, because Tierra, Source of Destruction wasn't Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, there was no way to use it.
This was...
The closest Hikaru had ever come to losing!
Because at this very moment, what was placed before Hikaru was only one word.
"Luck."
All the companions looked at Hikaru, somewhat worried about his mental state.
After all, facing such a terrifying, such an oppressive existence and still having to gamble on illusory luck...
"No..."
Hikaru calmly shook his head: "In our world, luck doesn't exist. Or rather, in this kind of duel, there is no chance."
"So my next card will definitely be Fusion."
"What kind of Fusion could let you win, Hikaru?"
"Only that one." Hikaru said calmly.
Tierra instantly understood which Fusion Hikaru meant. And precisely because she knew, she asked in return.
"Then, can you draw it?"
"Let me ask you back, Tierra. After regaining the Star-Creating Goddess power, would you find a dead silent planet and once more re-evolve it as another DT Planet?"
Tierra thought deeply for a long while.
This question, before her return to the primordial, she had been pondering.
And now... the answer was no.
Because the era was different. Creating a new world without referencing "dueling caliber" was undoubtedly wasting her own ability.
Looking now, her earlier fears and worries appeared instead redundant.
When she truly recovered to the "primordial" state, she instead understood more clearly that Hikaru's influence on her was absolutely not what could be called "an instant."
Although only two short years, the joy of these two years was already more interesting, and more full of anticipation, than anything she'd encountered in her long, repetitive life.
She...
Had not turned back into that "cold, ruthless, cruel, bloody, mad" Star-Creating Goddess.
Because she had already become a calm, ordinary, adventure-loving god.
"This is the answer, Tierra!" Hikaru took a deep breath and firmly said. "This is the answer I thought of."
"Just like the cycle of alchemy, just like the death-cycle of life and souls, everything about us is undergoing renewal and cycles. Perhaps tragedies will play out again. Perhaps it won't all be smooth sailing. But Fusion, the era, will spiral upward."
"You... deliberately searched Super Polymerization to force me to draw out my potential?"
To this question, Hikaru didn't answer.
He merely placed his hand on the top of his Deck, then slowly drew the top card.
"I'm about to draw, Tierra..."
Azure flames seemed to burn on the card.
Hikaru looked at that card.
"As expected..."
He inserted the card into the duel slot.
"Equip Spell Card, Future Fusion!"
...
Tierra opened her mouth, then finally gave a helpless smile.
Fair enough.
Hikaru's power had helped her draw Void Breach. So her power helping Hikaru draw Future Fusion was simply natural.
"The very beginning of the duel and the very end of the duel will be the same card?"
"Not the end. There is no end. After the future unfolds, there will be more changes."
"I take Shaddoll Beast, Shaddoll Hedgehog, Shaddoll Squamata, Shaddoll Falco, and Shaddoll Hound from my Deck as Fusion Materials, and conduct a Fusion Summon."
Oho!
Professor Banner, seeing this, stretched his body and leapt up.
Didn't think he'd have to go to work.
But right enough. Without him, the master, on the field, who else would dare pop the champagne?
After all, he remembered his duel with Light was the first match Miss Tierra and Light had dueled together.
Quintet Magician. Level 12, DARK Attribute, Spellcaster-Type. ATK 4500.
"Ah, Professor Banner!"
"Quintet Magician!"
"Completely an alchemy conducted using Miss Tierra's power..."
Hikaru, while activating the Graveyard monsters' effects, said: "Activated when Fusion Summoned using 5 different-type Spellcaster monsters as Fusion Materials. All cards on the opponent's field are destroyed."
Tierra was of course invincible, but that was on summoning. After her effects finished, Tierra couldn't display more powerful strength.
Shaddoll Beast could draw a card, Shaddoll Hedgehog could search a Shaddoll monster, and Shaddoll Falco could directly Special Summon to the field.
"Eh?"
Hikaru saw the card he'd drawn and was a little surprised.
That card, burning with blue raging fire, also flashed with bright purple light.
That was a...
Polymerization.
"Ha, Spell Card, Polymerization." Hikaru revealed Polymerization. "Fuse the Shaddoll Dragon that Shaddoll Hedgehog searched, with Shaddoll Falco."
Tierra, hearing this, slightly raised the corners of her mouth and said: "Mm-hmm. Let me guess. Fusion condition is two monsters of the same Attribute and Type but different names?"
"That's right."
"Fusion Summon!" ×2.
"Garura, Wings of Resonant Life!"
The two shouted at the same time, then began laughing together.
"Garura, Wings of Resonant Life has the ability to deal double damage to the opponent."
"Looks like I'm still a little insufficient." Tierra shook her head with slight regret.
"You're already very very strong." Hikaru said sincerely.
"Not enough. You have to keep dueling with me, Hikaru. Always. Forever."
"Anytime, at any time."
...
STONES 💎
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