Rumble
Hikaru rode the lift to the top of the White Dragon Arena. This high above the ground, the wind slashed his face like knives, cold soaking quickly into his skin.
He wasn't afraid. He was exhilarated.
At last, he'd climbed to the highest stage in this world.
Like the protagonists he'd grown up watching, he had finally reached the final arena.
The airship began to rotate. Drones lifted off from every angle and trained their lenses on the two Duelists.
Bzzzz
"Come, Duelists who dare to scale higher peaks," Seto Kaiba's hologram proclaimed, chin raised to the light. "Stand upon your stage. Fight. Dance. And then, win!"
As his voice faded, the airship banked, picking up speed and surging out over the city.
"When the ship passes beyond the field's zenith, the first Duelist to declare gets the first turn!"
A giant countdown inverted on the screen.
10… 9… 3… 2… 1!
"My turn!"
A year and a half of training had tuned Hikaru's timing to a razor's edge. He snapped his card free.
Amagi Hikaru — LP: 4000
Zane Truesdale — LP: 4000
"Interesting, Hikaru. Faster than me," Zane said, amused.
"Every Duelist's talent must be honed to its peak, only then can we reach further, toward Fusion's ultimate form."
"Hah! Good. Come on, Hikaru!"
"Duel!"
The ship cut through a bank of black cloud. Sunlight burst across the platform. Around the world, eyes locked here, students and spirits under the Liminal Sky, Serena and company on-site, Jaden Yuki yelling at a livestream, civilians in the human world, Academy kids in dorm lounges, even Fusion Army cells lurking in other Dimensions.
"Go, Hikaru! Go, Zane!"
"Big bro, let's go!!"
"Zane or Hikaru… mamma mia, who do I even root for?!"
"Tch. Zane and Hikaru…"
Everyone had their reasons. Some simply wanted a match you'd remember for years. Others, for their own grudges and factions, craved to see this "senior and junior" clash.
"Come to think of it," Hikaru said, "we're both students of Dr. Crowler."
"The best professor," Zane agreed. He wouldn't have broken into the pro scene without Crowler's help; the man had shadowed him through the process, handled the ugly parts so Zane wouldn't get fleeced. And afterward, Crowler had hustled just as hard for Hikaru, shopping contracts, running numbers.
For both of them, Dr. Vellian Crowler was the pillar of their Academy years.
"It's a shame we never Dueled at graduation," Zane added. He'd seen Jaden's state that day and chosen him for the ceremony, and so the school never got a final Zane vs. Hikaru.
"Then call this our second chance, Kaiser."
The ship slid to the face of the sun. From this close, even seasoned onlookers like Jim and Bastion swallowed hard.
The Duel was truly about to begin.
"My turn," Hikaru said again, fanning a card to his eye. "I activate the Spell Frightfur Patchwork! Once per turn: I add 1 'Edge Imp' monster and 1 Polymerization from my Deck to my hand."
His Duel Disk spat two cards into the gale; Hikaru plucked them cleanly.
"Frightfur…" In a Fusion Army training hall full of kids, a blue-haired boy stared at the feed, then popped a lollipop between his teeth.
"Next, I activate the Field Spell, Dream Mirror of Terror."
Purple light poured across the ship's hull. Pinpricks of pale white shimmered in the air as a floating island unfolded alongside the arena and began drifting in formation with the airship.
"Oh? Not Fusion Recycling Plant?" Zane said, filing away the surprise.
"Polymerization-activate!"
Hikaru raised three cards, Polymerization, Edge Imp Chain, and a dark-green plant, and slammed the Spell into his Disk. "I fuse Predaplant Byblisp and Edge Imp Chain from my hand! Fusion Summon!"
Vines writhed up the White Dragon's plated back. Thick, pitch-black sludge boiled, and a huge rose-pink blossom clawed its way open.
"Descend-Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"
[Predaplant Chimerafflesia] — Level 7 | DARK | Plant | 2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
"Has it arrived, Chimerafflesia?"
Seeing the monster take the field, Zane felt his blood heat. A powerhouse that could search out Fusion Spells, and one Hikaru had leaned on often throughout the Tournament.
In Aroma Garden, perfumers and beast-spirits watched the semifinal on a wall of light. Aromage Marjoram lifted her black tea with a small smile; Aromage Rosemary actually hopped and cheered.
"It's not over yet, Zane!" Hikaru spread his hand. "I trigger my monster effects, and my Field!"
"Predaplant Byblisp, this card name's effect can be used once per turn. If this card is sent to the GY: I add 1 'Predaplant' monster from my Deck, except 'Predaplant Byblisp.' I add Predaplant Chlamydosundew."
"And Edge Imp Chain, once per turn, if it's sent from my hand or field to the GY: I add 1 'Frightfur' card from my Deck. I take Frightfur Patchwork."
"Oh!!" Jim couldn't help blurting. "So he Fuses, gets a Predaplant search, and patches back into Patchwork, that's basically a free Fusion. Next turn he turns Patchwork into Polymerization + an Edge Imp and does it again!"
"Wait, isn't Fusion supposed to eat your hand? Why does he end with more?" the crowd buzzed.
"He even used an Edge Imp to make a Predaplant?"
"Master, that's so cool!"
"And now, my Field, Dreamland!" Hikaru pointed. "This card gains different effects depending on what monsters are out. While a Fusion Monster is on the field, once per turn, if a monster from your hand or field is sent to the GY by a card effect: I draw 1 card."
He drew in one smooth motion.
Hand count unchanged.
"I see… so that's what that Field does."
"A Field that turns Fusion sends into draws? Wild."
Zane's mouth quirked. "Is this your welcome ceremony, Hikaru?"
Hikaru laughed. "This is just the beginning."
...
Stones PLzz
Read Chapters ahead @ Keepsmiling818 P@reon