"'Dark Core' banishes 'Destiny HERO - Dogma'!"
The twisted core radiated black lightning, warping space itself. The energy grew, ultimately swallowing Destiny HERO - Dogma whole, twisting and spinning him away into the black vortex until nothing remained.
"Hmph. You wanted to keep burning my life while stalling with attacks? That won't work on me!"
The other cultists jeered too.
"Looks like the pro player is just so-so."
"Little brat, go home!"
"You're nothing before the bishop!"
Aster ignored the trash talk, still smiling calmly.
"If you think 'Dark Core' is just offense, you're naïve." The bishop revealed the card he discarded, which flashed with golden light in the grave. "When I played 'Dark Core', I discarded this—
Zeta Reticulant!"
He showed the monster card, and an alien with crystal claws and a body covered in purple gems flickered on the field.
"Zeta's effect: while in the grave, whenever an opponent's monster is banished, I can special summon an 'Eva Token' in defense."
"Since I just banished Destiny HERO - Dogma, I special summon an Eva Token!"
[Eva Token, DEF 500]
"Next, the effect of another Zeta in my hand!" the bishop continued. "By tributing the Eva Token, I can special summon Zeta from my hand.
Descend, Zeta Reticulant!"
A pillar of purple light descended, crystals floating in the air, forming into a furious alien form, claws slashing.
[Zeta Reticulant, ATK 2400]
"Banishing my monster while prepping your ace—so that's your deck's focus?" Aster understood. "Banishing for control, huh?"
The bishop smirked: "It'll also be the last deck you ever face.
I flip my set monster—
Flip summon 'Des Lacooda'!"
[Des Lacooda, ATK 500]
"When Des Lacooda is flipped, I draw one card."
He drew.
"Now battle!
Zeta Reticulant, attack 'Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious'!"
Zeta roared, slashing at Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious.
Aster countered: "I activate trap 'D-Shield'! When a Destiny HERO in attack position is attacked, equip this card to it.
'D-Shield' to Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious!"
Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious crouched, shifting to defense, floating stones forming a shield before him.
"Equipped monster switches to defense, and can't be destroyed by battle!" Aster said.
[Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious, DEF 800]
Zeta's full-force attack was blocked by the floating shield.
"Tch, can't be destroyed by battle?" The bishop frowned.
Now he was stuck too—unless he had a piercing effect, as long as Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious was on the field, he couldn't deal damage.
"Battle phase over. But I activate Des Lacooda's effect:
Once per turn, it can return to face-down defense."
Des Lacooda set itself again.
With both sides locked, Des Lacooda became a card-draw engine every turn.
"I set another card and end my turn."
"My turn, draw!" Aster declared. "Last turn, Diamond Dude's effect:
Since I revealed a spell, I can activate its effect this turn."
His graveyard flashed with golden light, the spell's phantom appearing.
"Last turn I revealed 'Card of Adversity'.
If my opponent controls a special summoned monster and I control none, I draw two cards."
The bishop said: "But you have 'Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious'—"
"I know."
Aster smiled.
"But Diamond Dude's effect means I only activate the effect, not the cost.
So I draw two cards."
He drew, then revealed one.
"Quick-Play Spell 'Burial from a Different Dimension'—return up to three banished monsters to the grave."
The bishop: "You've only banished one."
"Right, I return 'Destiny HERO - Dogma' to the grave!" Aster said. "Then, activate 'Call of the Haunted' to special summon a monster from the grave in attack.
I revive 'Destiny HERO - Dogma'!"
Of course, the real Destiny HERO - Dogma can't do this—he needs three tributes to be summoned, even if he was previously summoned correctly. But like Jaden's Elemental HERO fusions in the anime, Destiny HERO - Dogma can be revived after a proper summon in this story.
"Return to me, Destiny HERO - Dogma!"
[Destiny HERO - Dogma, ATK 3400]
The bishop gritted his teeth.
"This damn hero again?"
But he quickly calmed down.
"'Swords of Revealing Light' is still active, it's only your second turn. Even if you revive your ace, you can't attack."
"Yeah, I know."
Aster smiled.
"So I summon 'Destiny HERO - Dunker'."
[Destiny HERO - Dunker, DEF 1700]
"Destiny HERO - Dunker's effect: send a Destiny HERO from hand to grave to inflict 500 damage!"
He pitched a card, Destiny HERO - Dunker leapt up and spiked a glowing ball right at the bishop's face.
"Ugh!"
[Bishop, LP2000 → LP1500]
The bishop's face darkened, unease rising.
Damn… Am I going to get burned to death before Swords expires?