"You are… The transfer student from Class E, Year Three?"
In the academy's Class Duel War, under the conditions where Duel Monsters could not be ridden, and no vehicles, weapons, or magical tools could be used, he crossed the battlefield with his own body and directly 'flew' in front of Sakuya.
Such an exaggerated entrance also shocked Tyles, who had been defeated by Sakuya and was lying on the ground.
"Bro, you actually pulled it off! It wasn't for nothing that I burned my life to break through and get here!"
With no spare mental capacity left to question the logic of it all, Tyles only felt that his "brother" was unbelievably cool, and even while lying on the ground, he couldn't help but give Miles a thumbs-up.
"Thanks to you as well." Miles returned the gesture with a thumbs-up. "It's a good thing you made it here! This is the decisive battlefield!"
When Sakuya adopted the tactic of launching a full-scale assault to cover the battlefield while staying behind alone to hold the position, Class E's hope of victory shifted to whether Miles could accurately airdrop into Class D's territory.
Even with the terrifyingly powerful body crafted by Viel, that leap, which surpassed any human's physical limits, couldn't be used a second time in a short period.
There was only one chance, and through the united efforts of Class E, Miles successfully seized this precise opportunity to leap.
"No time to waste. Let's duel!"
As dust swirled, Miles had already activated Spirit Eyes in advance, its light locking onto Sakuya, the Class Rep of Class C, Year Three.
From this moment on, every second counted in deciding the outcome.
Every additional second of delay would increase the danger.
The members of Class C currently fighting on the frontlines had likely learned that their base had been assaulted.
Even if Sakuya didn't issue an order, the students of Class C weren't fools; they wouldn't continue sticking to a stationary defensive strategy.
It was already too late to fall back. If Miles were a student of Class C, he would definitely charge toward Class E's base at full speed right now.
Then the outcome would depend on whether Miles could defeat Sakuya, the Class Rep of Class C, before the rest of Class C reached Class E's base and defeated August.
"So you're the Class E transfer student who uses a God Card. Don't think Class C will be as easy to deal with as Class D!"
Forced into a duel by Miles, Sakuya gradually recovered from the shock of that sky-descending leap and regained her composure.
Class C, a level above Class D, meant that even its weakest students were stronger than that Roz Dik.
Not to mention Sakuya, the Class Rep of Class C, who was the strongest student in the class. Her strength was infinitely close to the academy's second-tier top class, Class B.
"Dealing with just you alone doesn't require a god."
However, whether it was Class D, Class C, or even strength approaching Class B, it made no difference to Miles.
Only Class A, and specifically the strongest among them like Leon and Lloyd, might be of any significance.
"Duel!"
The decisive battle between the generals of Class C officially began.
Countless spectators were still stunned by that godlike leap across the battlefield, only snapping back to their senses when the duel began.
On the spectator stands, Leon said seriously, "Fusion Academy has really transferred in quite a monster."
Lloyd shrugged. "That strange academy has never lacked monsters, has it?"
Leon and Lloyd were old acquaintances of Miles, and the others had met during the exchange program at Synchron Academy.
"It's Leon-senpai, he's so handsome!"
"Lloyd-senpai is so bright and cute too!"
When fighting away at Synchron Academy, it might not have been obvious. But as top-tier third-year students of Xyz Academy, these two never lacked fangirls in their own academy.
Just sitting in the spectator stands, they were almost drowned in the admiring gazes of the surrounding girls.
Used to this atmosphere, the two were simply drawn here by the gimmick of a mysterious transfer student from Fusion Academy who used a God Card.
Fusion Academy, using a God Card. Their first impression was that Aisha Carlos had transferred over.
After all, during the Synchron Academy Turbo Duel Tournament, Aisha's The Winged Dragon of Ra and various "Utopia" Xyz Monsters had left an overwhelmingly deep impression.
Of course, Aisha Carlos wasn't only skilled in Xyz Summoning. As a Duelist bearing the title of Royal Knight, her strength lay in her mastery of all summoning methods.
Leon said, "Since it's not Aisha Carlos, let's see how this transfer student who holds a God Card fights."
"Still, it's strange." Lloyd pondered. "If Fusion Academy had another Duelist with a God Card, it's surprising they didn't participate in the earlier exchange program."
The exchange program had, on the surface, gathered the current top-tier Duelists from the three academies. It was hard to imagine a Duelist who possessed a God Card not being selected for it.
Just like now, the two of them found it hard to imagine why a Duelist who possessed a God Card would transfer into the worst Class E.
The answer to the former was simple: during the exchange program, "Miles" hadn't officially enrolled in Fusion Academy yet.
As for the latter, even Miles himself wanted to know.
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the decisive general battle began, with Sakuya of Class C taking the first turn.
What had seemed like a guaranteed loss for Class E was suddenly flipped on its head because of Miles' actions. This made many spectators start to anticipate whether Class E could achieve an underdog comeback.
"You don't need to use a God Card to deal with me? Don't get too arrogant, transfer student!"
Glancing over her hand, Sakuya's mind spun rapidly as she formulated a strategy.
"I set three cards and end my turn!"
Without summoning any monsters, she directly set three cards and ended her turn.
The students of Class C who were familiar with Sakuya's combat style understood that this was her usual tactic. But Miles and Class E had no idea.
"The opponent bricked! This is our chance, bro!" Even while lying on the ground, Tyles could still cheer excitedly.
You just lost a duel, you know… don't act like you're critically wounded on a battlefield and unable to get up.
"My turn, draw!"
Going second and drawing a card, for Miles, this was indeed a chance he had to seize; he needed to secure victory as fast as possible.
"Full firepower! Time for our performance, D/D/D!"
Miles flipped his hand face-up, the card of Swirl Slime bouncing into view.
"I activate the effect of [D/D Swirl Slime] from my hand!"
[Send Fusion Materials listed on a "D/D/D" Fusion Monster from your hand to the Graveyard, including this card; Fusion Summon that Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck.]
"Using a monster effect to Fusion Summon?" Sakuya's slender brows lifted. "As expected of a fighting style from someone transferred from Fusion Academy."
Fusion Summoning could be considered the hallmark of Fusion Academy. For Miles, who came from Fusion Academy, using Fusion was nothing unusual.
"But let me tell you the weakness of Fusion Summoning!"
She flipped over one of the set cards in her back row, and thunder suddenly erupted above her head.
"—I activate the Counter Trap [Ultimate Providence]!"
[When a Spell/Trap Card, or monster effect, is activated: Discard the same type of card (Monster, Spell, or Trap); negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it.]
"I discard a Monster Card from my hand to negate [D/D Swirl Slime]!"
Cards of the same type canceled each other out. A bolt of Ultimate Providence struck down, blasting the Slime that had appeared from Miles' activated effect into charred fragments.
[D/D Swirl Slime] effect negated and destroyed
After the Fusion effect was negated, nothing happened on Miles' field.
"The weakness of Fusion is that if your 'Fusion' effect is stopped, you can't even summon a monster."
"Can that really be called a weakness?"
In Miles' view, although his Fusion effect had been negated, Sakuya had used two cards to stop his one. On top of that, she had no monsters on her field; obviously, Sakuya had taken the greater loss.
"Heh." A faint smile curved at Sakuya's lips. "My counterattack is only just beginning."
Sakuya drew another card from her hand and tossed it upward.
"When a Counter Trap negates an activation, I can Special Summon this from my hand! Awaken from the deepest depths of the underworld—[Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord]!"
Following the divine thunder of judgment, a dark underworld dragon descended.
[If you negate the activation of an opponent's Spell/Trap Card(s), or opponent's monster effect(s), with a Counter Trap Card (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon this card from your hand.]
[Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord] Level 8│DARK│Zombie│2800 ATK
The Underworld Dragon that could be Special Summoned through the effect of a Counter Trap; this was the true core of Sakuya's strategy of setting cards on an empty field.
Sakuya waved toward the Underworld Dragon on the field and declared, "And [Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord] can activate additional effects depending on what was negated!"
[If Summoned this way, activate these effects and resolve in sequence, depending on the type of card(s) negated by that Counter Trap:
[● Spell: Inflict 1500 damage to your opponent.
[● Trap: Target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target.
[● Monster: Target 1 monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.]
"Since the Counter Trap [Ultimate Providence] negated a Monster, I can choose 1 monster from my Graveyard and revive it!"
As for the monsters in Sakuya's Graveyard, there was only the Monster Card that had just been discarded as cost, along with the Slime effect, and sent to the Graveyard.
"I revive a second [Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord] from my Graveyard!"
[Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord, ATK: 2800]
A coordinated tactic completed with a single Counter Trap.
After negating Miles' crucial Fusion, Sakuya directly Special Summoned two Level 8 Underworld Dragons onto her field.
"Well, transfer student?"
As the Class Rep of Class C, Year Three, she was indeed far stronger than those from Class D. At the very least, she knew how to use Counter Traps to interrupt her opponent.
"You're asking me how? Then I can only say… it's just getting started!"
Miles swung his arm across and continued his D/D/D combo.
"Too bad. Even in the Graveyard, my Slime can still exert its power! I activate the effect of [D/D Swirl Slime]!"
[You can banish this card from your Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "D/D" monster from your hand.]
"I banish the Slime in my Graveyard and Special Summon from my hand! Devour Britain with the breath of a demonic dragon, let the roar of the tyrant shake the lowly king! [D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon]!"
[D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon] Level 7│DARK│Fiend│2600 ATK
The demonic black dragon bearing the name of King Arthur descended, its pitch-black roaring breath clashing head-on with the Underworld Dragon across from it.
A battlefield of black dragon versus black dragon.
"My Underworld Dragon has higher Attack!"
"No, my Dragon King is stronger!"
Activating the effect of the darkened King Arthur, Miles targeted one of Sakuya's set cards in the back row.
[Once per turn: You can discard 1 card; this card gains 500 ATK, then you can destroy 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field.]
[D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon, ATK: 2600 → 3100]
"—Vortigern's Roar!"
A surge of pitch-black dragon fierce breath erupted, destroying one of Sakuya's remaining two set cards without targeting.
Counter Trap [Dark Bribe] destroyed
A Counter Trap capable of negating the activation of Spell/Trap Cards; fortunately, from the start of the turn until now, Miles hadn't activated a single Spell or Trap Card.
After activating its effect, D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon's Attack rose to 3100, surpassing Blue-Eyes White Dragon. In this current black dragon clash, it could undoubtedly overpower the Underworld Dragon.
But Miles didn't have the time to defeat [Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord] one by one. He had to end the duel before Class C's forces overwhelmed August.
"With this card, I'll wipe out all the black dragons in one go! I Normal Summon—[D/D Lamia]!"
[D/D Lamia] Level 1│DARK│Fiend / Tuner│100 ATK
The seductive serpent woman from mythology, and also the only Tuner Monster among Miles' current D/D monsters.
"A Tuner Monster?!" In the spectator stands, Lloyd, who had been calm just a moment ago, suddenly stood up.
This was Xyz Academy, that much was certain. And it was also true that Miles had transferred from Fusion Academy.
But what was going on with this Tuner Monster?
Lamia's petite body erupted with a Synchro aura, the halo passing through the massive pitch-black dragon beside her.
"Level 1 Tuner [D/D Lamia] and Level 7 [D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon]! Synchro!"
1★ + 7★ = 8★!
At the same time, another mark appeared on Miles' Spirit Eyes: the mark of the demonic dragon.
Dark Aisha: "You're ready, Miles!"
"Then let's go!" Miles raised his arm toward the sky as a black dragon form burst forth from the flames.
"The king's roar will now shake the heavens! Engrave this unparalleled power of supremacy into your being!
"Synchro Summon, raging soul! Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!"
[Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend] Level 8│DARK│Dragon│3000 ATK
The DARK Dragon that tore through the flames of Synchro; its arrival stunned all the spectators.
Meanwhile, some were baffled among them.
Black dragon versus black dragon versus black dragon… and for this last black dragon, why is its card white?
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