A blazing meteor streaked across the night sky, trailing a long tail of light straight toward the heavens. The instant it pierced the clouds it erupted with sunlight brilliance, tearing the clouds into radial swirls. As it fell, the outer flames faded, revealing a dragon-shaped silhouette whose light was not fire but divine radiance pouring from gaps in its exoskeletal armor.
Shooting Star Dragon's arrival stirred a storm of pure energy. It folded its wings. The moment its foreclaws touched the ground, a ripple of light spread outward, turning the entire duel field into daylight.
[Shooting Star Dragon, ATK 3300]
Copy Yusei: "It finally appeared. That's your current ace, isn't it?"
"Correct. And with this new power I will defeat you—even if you stand in a realm far above mine," Yusei replied.
"I activate Shooting Star Dragon's effect! Once per turn, confirm the top five cards of my Deck. This turn it may attack a number of times up to the number of Tuners revealed. Then return those five cards to the Deck and shuffle."
Copy Yusei instantly grasped the intent. "I see. You have answers in hand or Graveyard, so you summoned Shooting Star Dragon to increase attack count. You're betting that even if I block one or two strikes, one will get through. That's the plan, right?"
Yusei said nothing, but thought, He really can read me.
"First card!" Yusei drew. "Tuner Monster—'Nitro Synchron'!"
"Second card!"
Yusei drew again and frowned slightly. Miss.
"Third card! Tuner Monster 'Turbo Synchron'!"
"Fourth card!"
Another draw, another small frown.
Miss.
"Fifth card!"
Yusei drew the last card and revealed it immediately.
"Tuner Monster 'Effect Veiler'!"
Three Tuners confirmed. Shooting Star Dragon could attack three times this turn.
Yusei raised his hand. "Go, Shooting Star Dragon—triple direct attack!"
Shooting Star Dragon spread its wings and burst with blinding white light. With a clear dragon roar its form split. Red, yellow, and blue phantoms separated like prism light. Each clone kept the dragon's shape but flowed with different energy colors.
The red phantom soared first, trailing flame. The yellow followed, blazing like midday sun. The blue rose last, trailing ice-crystal starlight. They hovered, then dove together. Three meteors drew perfect arcs. The three-colored lights spiraled and exploded in rainbow brilliance just before impact.
"Hand or Graveyard can usually block only one attack. Good idea, but unlucky," Copy Yusei said. "What I hold is this!
Discard 'Swift Scarecrow' from my hand! Negate the opponent's direct attack and forcibly end the Battle Phase!"
A tiny scarecrow appeared, raising an energy shield that blocked the triple-colored meteors.
"Swift Scarecrow…" Yusei exhaled.
With that single hand trap the entire follow-up offense was stopped. Yusei himself ran the same card.
"Then I Set two cards and end my turn," Yusei said.
Copy Yusei: "At the End Phase, the Cosmic Blazar Dragon banished by its own effect returns to the field."
Starlight re-gathered. The invincible Cosmic Blazar reappeared.
[Cosmic Blazar Dragon, ATK 4000]
The pressure returned, but at least Yusei now had Shooting Star Dragon on the field.
Yusei glanced at his new ace and felt a sliver of calm.
I have a chance!
Cosmic Blazar Dragon could negate and destroy card effects or negate Summons—both counted as "destroy" effects. Shooting Star Dragon could negate and destroy any effect that destroys cards. The anime version of Shooting Star Dragon had no once-per-turn limit; it could respond to every destruction effect.
Even if the Cosmic Blazar attacked, Shooting Star Dragon could banish itself to negate that attack. Because "banish itself" was part of the effect (not a cost), it remained on the field during the chain. If the Flare then tried to negate Shooting Star Dragon, Shooting Star Dragon could negate the negation and destroy the Flare in return.
Offense and defense swapped—the Cosmic Blazar would be eliminated.
Although Cosmic Blazar Dragon had higher ATK and broader abilities, it was not easy for it to remove Shooting Star Dragon. This was Yusei's greatest confidence.
Yusei calmly watched his copy.
Come. Show me how you break through this.
"My turn. Draw."
Copy Yusei activated a Spell. "I activate 'Card of Burial Magic'. Banish three Spells from my Graveyard, draw two cards."
He banished "Card Destruction," "Tuning," and "Machine Duplication," then drew.
"You seem to believe even Cosmic Blazar Dragon cannot easily overcome your Shooting Star Dragon."
Yusei: "…"
"Your thinking is sound. Even for the Blazar, removing Shooting Star Dragon is not simple. But the me who stands here has long since evolved beyond a single path."
He played three cards at once.
"I send 'Meklord Army of Wisel,' 'Meklord Army of Skiel,' and 'Meklord Army of Granel' from my hand to the Graveyard!
Summon the strongest Meklord Emperor!"
Yusei's eyes widened. "The strongest Meklord Emperor!?"
"This card is Special Summoned by sending three 'Meklord Emperor' cards from the hand to the Graveyard. Meklord Emperor Genesis descends—Meklord Astro Mekanikle!!"
…