"Two Stardust Dragons?"
The two identical Stardust Dragons glimmered in the sky, their twin radiance reflecting in the Shadow Duelist's half-destroyed face—a face once scarred by the explosion of a mana crystal—now flickering with visible unease.
"So that's it. The presence of two Stardust Dragons... that's the power you're counting on to purify the leyline of magic stones, isn't it."
A single Stardust Dragon alone could hardly manage it. But with two acting together, the chance of successful purification was far greater.
Yet regardless of whether they succeeded or not, the Shadow Duelist's conviction did not change.
"Unless we cut off this chain of destruction, this ending will repeat endlessly! Don't you understand that?!"
"Of course, we understand! We get it! However—" Miles roared back, "—cowards who lack the courage to face the future should just step aside!"
"You say I lack the courage to face the future?"
Krista countered sharply: "Abandoning everything now just because destruction is destined to come—to me, that's the most cowardly act of all!"
Miles and Krista—side by side, cloaked in twin Stardust auras—roared down the track in perfect sync, their tandem strike leaving the Shadow Duelist speechless.
"In that case, I won't move aside. Show me this path you claim to protect and hope for—open it with your own hands!"
"That's exactly what we'll do!" Miles and Krista shouted together. "Battle! Stardust—!"
Their twin D-Wheels surged forward as two blazing trails of light. Miles, astride Stardust Dragon, and Krista, astride Stardust Spark Dragon, charged into the Battle Phase.
Neither Stardust Dragon nor Stardust Spark Dragon could target [Earthbound Immortal Uru] for attack—its effect rendered it untouchable.
Even if the Shadow Duelist had only Uru on the field, the two Stardust Dragons, even if they accelerated into [Shooting Star Dragon] and [Stardust Chronicle Spark Dragon], would still be unable to strike it.
Regardless, now… the weak point wasn't the Earthbound Immortal.
Even if Uru couldn't be attacked, there was still another monster on the Shadow Duelist's field that could.
The Synchro Monster—[Draco Berserker of the Tenyi].
The same Synchro that had crushed Stardust Dragon in the previous turn now stood as the key to their counterattack.
The hunter had become the hunted.
"Shine along the path of starlight, Stardust Dragon!"
Miles commanded first. Stardust Dragon soared, wings spread wide, drawing a brilliant arc across the endless starlit road. At the apex of the curve, the dragon gathered shimmering cosmic dust.
[Draco Berserker of the Tenyi, ATK: 5500]
[Stardust Dragon, ATK: 2500]
"Have you lost your minds?" the Shadow Duelist barked.
Just last turn, Draco Berserker had utterly crushed Stardust Dragon—and now it was even stronger, having absorbed Stardust's own attack power!
"You're just repeating the same act of destruction! The Duel, the purification—everything is just repeating the same doomed tragedy!"
"No! We'll break the cycle and change the future!" Miles declared. "If there's one thing different this time—it's that there are two Stardust Dragons on the field! Krista!"
"Got it!"
Following the gleaming trail of Stardust Dragon, Stardust Spark Dragon's radiant form overlapped and intertwined with its twin in flight.
"With the combined power of two Synchro Stardust Dragons—we'll change this repeating fate!"
Krista raised her hand, flipping Miles's final set card.
"—Trap Card, [Synchro Stream], activate!"
A roaring current of Synchro wind swept across the battlefield, lifting the overlapping Stardust Dragons to new heights.
[Activate only while there are 2 or more face-up Synchro Monsters on the field. Equip this card to one of them. When the equipped monster attacks, you can have it gain ATK equal to the ATK of another face-up Synchro Monster on the field until the End Phase..]
A Synchro-exclusive trap that could only activate when two Synchro Monsters were present.
The swirling wind enveloped Stardust Dragon's wings, empowering her with the radiance to destroy even the Tenyi's might.
"So you're combining the two Stardusts' Attack?" the Shadow Duelist realized instantly. "But even two monsters with 2500 Attack each won't surpass Draco Berserker!"
"Who said we were adding their Attack?" Krista corrected him.
While the Trap Card required two Synchros on your field to activate, its effect allowed you to choose any Synchro Monster on the field.
"Did you really think Draco Berserker of the Tenyi could escape this storm of Synchro energy?"
The Synchro windstorm erupted from around the twin Stardust Dragons, engulfing even the colossal Draco Berserker in its current.
"The monster I choose to boost Stardust Dragon's Attack with—is your [Draco Berserker of the Tenyi]!"
Last turn, Draco Berserker had destroyed Stardust Dragon and absorbed its Attack.
Now, Miles and Krista returned the favor in kind!
Miles pointed straight ahead. "Using [Synchro Stream]'s effect—Stardust Dragon gains the original Attack of Draco Berserker! We'll take back everything you stole, with interest!"
Draco Berserker's original Attack: 3000.
[Stardust Dragon, ATK: 2500 → 5500]
Both sides, now equal—their power perfectly mirrored.
[Draco Berserker of the Tenyi, ATK: 5500]
Under twin Stardust light, Stardust Spark Dragon's specialty—an equal Attack clash.
"This is the final step of the Stardust Combination!"
Krista lifted her arm, declaring Stardust Spark Dragon's effect.
"Once per turn, prevent 1 card you control from being destroyed by battle or card effects! Protect Stardust Dragon—'Photon Sound Barrier'!"
Brilliant stardust particles wrapped around Stardust Dragon like a radiant cocoon. Shielded by Stardust Spark Dragon's protection, Stardust Dragon roared forth unafraid of Draco Berserker's retaliation.
"Time for payback, Stardust Dragon!—'Shooting Sonic Impact'!!"
Above the blazing Turbo Duel track, the dragons' roars collided. Stardust Dragon's luminous breath clashed violently with Draco Berserker's dark, destructive flames.
When the shockwaves cleared, Stardust Dragon, protected by radiant particles, broke through with blinding speed. Her wings flared as her claws gleamed with the light of final judgment, smashing straight into Draco Berserker's head.
Stardust: "That punch was for last turn!"
Sure enough, Miles could hear Stardust-chan's triumphant voice echoing in his mind.
[Draco Berserker of the Tenyi]—Destroyed.
The massive figure shattered beneath Stardust Dragon's strike, dissolving into pure starlight.
"You actually destroyed Draco Berserker with a dual Stardust combo!"
Even the Shadow Duelist couldn't hide his astonishment.
The same method of battle—a once-tragic repetition—had been rewritten through the bond of protective Stardust.
The belief exchanged between Duelists through battle was real.
"Even so… while my Earthbound Immortal remains on the field, you can't attack again! And next turn, Uru's direct attack will end this futile struggle!"
Miles and Krista exchanged glances. Then, in unison, they flipped over their final set Trap Card.
Miles & Krista: "The final key to open the road to the future—our ultimate combo!—Trap Card, [Synchro Destructor], activate!"
[When a Synchro Monster you control destroys an opponent's monster by battle, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the destroyed monster's original Attack. If the destroyed monster was a Synchro Monster, inflict additional damage equal to half its original Attack.]
...
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