"Hmph, Draw."
Kaiba Man drew a card from the top of his Deck.
He looked at it briefly, then fixed his gaze on Hikaru.
"Originally, I just wanted to move around casually… but now it seems you're not one of those worthless amateurs.
Still, anyone who dares speak of touching Blue-Eyes in front of me will not leave unscathed!
Prepare to be annihilated!"
He raised a card sharply.
"I reveal Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand to Special Summon Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon!"
A surge of lightning ripped through the hall as a streamlined, radiant dragon descended beside its original form.
Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon — Level 8 / LIGHT / Dragon / ATK 3000.
This card is always treated as 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' while on the field or in the GY.
"Next, the effect of the Trap Card The Ultimate Creature of Destruction in my GY!
When a 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' is Normal or Special Summoned while this card is in the Graveyard, I can Set it back onto my field!"
The familiar silver card emerged from the GY slot, flipping facedown with a flash.
"Again!?" Tierra gasped. "That card already stopped one attack , and now it's back! Doesn't that mean you can't destroy it next turn either?"
Kaiba Man smirked at her panic. "What, getting scared already?"
Hikaru, however, stayed calm.
"Don't worry," he said evenly. "Once it's activated again after being reset this way, it's banished when it leaves the field."
Kaiba Man's eyes narrowed. "Hoh? How do you know that?"
Then, with a flick of his wrist, "Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon's effect! Once per turn, I can target one monster you control and destroy it.
Vanish, Master of Chaos!"
The silver dragon inhaled, then unleashed a concentrated beam of white plasma. The knight-magician crossed his blade before him, but the surge engulfed him completely.
"Master of Chaos's effect!
If this Fusion-Summoned card is destroyed by battle or card effect, I can target one Spell Card in my Graveyard and add it to my hand.
I retrieve Secrets of Dark Magic!"
"Recovering a Spell after destruction… how fitting for a Magician."
Kaiba Man chuckled, arms folded.
"But Alternative can't attack this turn," Tierra remarked, recalling the rule from Kaiba's own duels.
"Oh?" Kaiba Man tilted his head toward her voice. "You actually know that effect?"
For a moment, he pondered something quietly, then burst out laughing.
"Heh, doesn't matter! Knowledge alone won't save you! Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Erase that pretender!
Burst Stream of Destruction!"
The ancient dragon charged energy between its jaws, unleashing a torrent of blinding light that obliterated Keeper of Dragon Magic and tore through the space behind Hikaru.
"Turn end."
Tierra exhaled. "That's it? He ends just like that again?" She turned to Hikaru. "But he's confident, with that Trap back on the field, we can't touch Blue-Eyes, right?"
Hikaru nodded thoughtfully. "Under normal circumstances, yeah. Without cards like Lava Golem or Santa Claus, my only outs are battle destruction or effect removal."
He straightened, eyes glinting. "But now he's got two dragons on the field. If I can force him to guard one, I can take the other."
Tierra blinked. "So you're planning to split his defense?"
"Exactly." Hikaru's gaze hardened. "There's a way."
He drew for his turn.
"My turn, Draw!"
He looked down at his card, Ready Fusion.
"Perfect."
"Activate the Spell Card Ready Fusion!
Pay 1000 Life Points to Special Summon one Level 5 or lower Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck. Its effects are negated, and it's destroyed during the End Phase."
Hikaru LP: 4000 → 3000.
"Come forth — Bracchio-Raidus!"
The air trembled as a massive prehistoric dinosaur emerged, its scales glistening with water droplets.
Tierra tilted her head. "You still keep that card in your deck?"
Hikaru smiled faintly. "It's the beginning of everything. I'd never forget it."
Bracchio-Raidus — Level 6 / Water/ Dinosaur / ATK 2200 / DEF 2000
"Hahahahaha, what kind of weak monster is this? Ridiculous! You think you can challenge Blue-Eyes with that?"
Kaiba Man's laughter echoed through the stone hall.
Hikaru's gaze didn't waver. "Of course I understand the power of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Mr. Kaiba. But the Fusion I pursue,
doesn't allow me to abandon my partners. Even if a card isn't powerful, it's never useless."
"Oh?" Kaiba Man smirked. "Interesting. Then show me, boy."
"Activate Spell Card, Metamorphosis !" Hikaru drew and smiled faintly.
"Mr. Kaiba, if you don't act now… it'll be too late."
Kaiba's eyes narrowed. The tone was serious; this wasn't bluffing.
"'Metamorphosis'... that card transforms one monster into a Fusion Monster of the same Level. Level 6, wait…"
His face changed. "Don't tell me..."
"Tribute the Level 6 Bracchio-raidus!
Special Summon, Ryu Senshi!"
The twin-necked dinosaur bellowed before dissolving into light.
From that light stepped forth an ancient warrior clad in armor shaped like dragon scales, gripping a silver greatsword that shimmered with a draconic aura.
Ryu Senshi— Level 6 / EARTH / Warrior / DEF 1200
Kaiba Man's grin widened. "Ryu Senshi, huh? I see… a Fusion that negates Normal Traps?"
"Next, things are simple." Hikaru flicked another card into his Duel Disk.
"Activate Spell Card, Fusion Substitute!"
Kaiba Man sneered. "Hmph, another copycat trick."
"That's right. This card lets me reveal one Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck, then Special Summon one Fusion Material monster listed on that monster from my Graveyard.
The monster's effects are negated, and it can't attack this turn."
"I reveal, Dark Magician the Dragon Knight!"
Kaiba Man's eyes sharpened.
"Special Summon Dark Magician from the Graveyard! Then activate Spell Card, Secrets of Dark Magic!
I use Dark Magician on the field and Buster Blade as material! Fusion Summon, Dark Paladin!"
Dark Paladin — Level 8 / DARK / Spellcaster / ATK 2900 / DEF 2400
"Due to Dreamland, since a monster was sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, I draw one card."
Kaiba Man narrowed his eyes. "A proper knight fusion, huh…"
"This monster gains 500 ATK for each Dragon on the field and in both Graveyards!" Hikaru raised his Duel Disk.
"Your White Stone in the Graveyard, my Bracchio-raidus, and your two Blue-Eyes White Dragons, four Dragons in total! That's an extra 2000 ATK!"
ATK: 2900→ 4900.
"Battle!
"Attack Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, Dark Paladin!"
Kaiba Man laughed. "Swinging your sword at my dragon? Don't make me laugh! You think I'd be afraid to activate my Trap? Naive!
Activate Trap Card, Ultimate Creature of Destruction!"
"Then, Ryu Sensh's effect!
While it's on the field, by paying 1000 Life Points, I can negate the activation of a Normal Trap!"
Hikaru's Life Points dropped.
Ryu Senshi leapt up before vanishing into particles of red light that slashed through Kaiba's Trap, shattering it before it could take hold.
At that moment, Dark Magician the Dragon Knight swung his blazing sword, cleaving directly through Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon!
A thunderous impact tore through the shrine.
Kaiba Man LP: 4000 → 2100.
Smoke billowed, the stone floor cracked, and for a long moment, the air was silent, until Kaiba Man straightened, a wide grin splitting across his face.
"Interesting… truly interesting!"
He chuckled darkly. "So that's why you dared to challenge me. You really aren't ordinary, are you?"
Kaiba Man's gaze swept across Hikaru's field.
"At first, I thought you were some clown spewing nonsense," he admitted. "Then you used Dark Magician and that Fusion Spell of yours, and I started to take you seriously."
But what truly impressed me," his lips curled into a faint grin, "is that even with all those powerful, modern cards, you still trust the old legends like Bracchio-raidus and Ryu Senshi.
That kind of loyalty… that's worthy of respect."
He raised his next card. "But don't think the duel ends here!Your Dark Paladin can discard to negate Spells, and Ryu Senshi can cut through Traps, but neither of them can stop monster effects!"
"I Normal Summon — Dictator of D.!"
A dark-robed musician stepped forth, clutching a staff shaped like a dragon's head.
The Dictator of D– Level 4 / DARK / Spellcaster / ATK 1200 / DEF 1100
"This card lets me discard one 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' or any card that lists its name to target a 'Blue-Eyes' in my GY, then Special Summon it!"
He discarded the Blue-Eyes White Dragon from his hand.
The aura around Dark Paladin flared as another Dragon's soul entered the grave, his attack climbing higher.
ATK 4900 → 5400.
"Return! Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
The temple shook as the radiant dragon re-formed beside its master.
Tierra blinked in disbelief. "But doesn't that just make Paladin even stronger?
Why not call back Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and destroy him outright?"
"Hmph! Run from a Duel with the Dark Magician? Ridiculous!" Kaiba Man barked.
"True strength faces its rival head-on!
Now appear once more— Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Twin dragons filled the air with their overlapping roars.
Hikaru's eyes narrowed; he could already sense what was coming.
"And now," Kaiba Man declared, thrusting his arm forward," overlay the two Level 8 monsters to construct the Xyz Network!"
"What?!" Tierra gasped.
Even Hikaru's breath caught.
Light and shadow intertwined, spiraling upward until they coalesced into silver radiance.
"Oh noble dragon," Kaiba Man intoned, "answer my call,
Xyz Summon! Rank 8 — Indigo-Eyes Silver Dragon!"