"My turn! Draw!!"
Before Chuck could even look at the card he drew, he suddenly heard Alicia's sharp voice from across the field.
"I activate my face-down card—Trap Card, Battle Mania!"
A crimson light spread across Chuck's field as Alicia continued, "Battle Mania can only be activated during your opponent's Standby Phase. All face-up monsters on your opponent's field are changed to Attack Position and cannot change their battle positions this turn. Furthermore, any monsters that can attack this turn must do so."
Chuck's brows knitted, glancing at his field now covered in red light, his only monster, Hunter with 7 Weapons, glaring violently under its influence. He gritted his teeth. "A card that forces battle, huh? So it's a defensive counter strategy after all. But I'm not going down that easily!"
He raised his hand. "I Normal Summon Blue Flame Swordsman!"
A blue flame erupted from the ground, and from it emerged a warrior resembling Chuck's Duel Monster Spirit, Flame Swordsman; however, with a deep indigo body cloaked in azure fire.
[Blue Flame Swordsman] Level 4│FIRE│Warrior│1800 ATK
"At this moment, my Continuous Spell, The A. Forces, activates! Since I now control two Warrior monsters, both my Blue Flame Swordsman and Hunter with 7 Weapons each gain 400 Attack!"
[Hunter with 7 Weapons, ATK: 1200 → 1400]
[Blue Flame Swordsman, ATK: 1800 → 2200]
"Nice! That gives Chuck two monsters with over 2000 Attack power!"
"Still, it's useless! That Nameless One's Mudballman has 3000 Defense! Even if Hunter gains 1000 more Attack during battle, he still can't break through!"
"Believe in Chuck! He wouldn't challenge that woman without a plan!"
The students of Class 1-E cheered from the sidelines, quietly rooting for Chuck, which made Alicia puff her cheeks in mild annoyance.
Yet, that feeling vanished the next instant—because Chuck had ordered an attack!
"Battle Phase! I'll have Hunter with 7 Weapons attack your Mudballman!!"
The hunter's eyes turned crimson as he drew his largest weapon—a gleaming great axe—and charged. Even in his battle frenzy, the seasoned hunter instinctively chose the right weapon for the job, leaping forward and swinging down with all his might.
Chuck raised his hand again. "At this moment, I activate Blue Flame Swordsman's effect! Once per turn, during either player's Battle Phase, I can target one Warrior monster I control other than this card. This card loses 600 Attack, and the targeted monster gains 600 Attack! I target Hunter with 7 Weapons! Flame Swordsman's Attack decreases by 600, Hunter's increases by 600!"
With a roar, Blue Flame Swordsman lifted his blazing sword high. Azure fire erupted from its blade, enveloping Hunter.
[Blue Flame Swordsman, ATK: 2200 → 1600]
[Hunter with 7 Weapons, ATK: 1400 → 2000]
Seeing the surge in power, Klein shouted, "Yes! Now, once Hunter enters the Damage Step and gains another 1000 Attack, he won't take any damage!"
"I'm not done yet!" Chuck waved his arm again. "I activate my face-down card—Trap Card, Inspiration! I target one face-up monster I control; that monster gains 700 Attack until the end of this turn! I choose Hunter with 7 Weapons!"
"Haaah!!"
The Hunter roared, his aura flaring even more violently.
[Hunter with 7 Weapons, ATK: 2000 → 2700]
Now overflowing with power far beyond his usual limits, Chuck shouted, "Hunter! Smash through her defenses!!"
"Haaah!!"
Hunter swung his axe down, slamming it into Mudballman's iron-like body.
CLANG!!!
The impact echoed like thunder, shockwaves rippling outward. Chuck yelled, "Now, Hunter with 7 Weapons' effect activates! When this card battles a monster of the declared type, it gains 1000 Attack during damage calculation! I declared Warrior—and Mudballman is a Warrior! So Hunter's Attack rises by another 1000!!"
[Hunter with 7 Weapons, ATK: 2700 → 3700]
"Three thousand seven hundred Attack!!"
"No way… that's insane!"
"Go, Hunter! Smash that wall to pieces!!"
The students' cheers grew louder, swept up by Chuck's determination. Alicia sighed quietly, murmuring, "Why do I feel like I'm the villain here..."
A sharp cracking sound rang out. Fissures spread across Mudballman's massive body before Hunter's axe cleaved through it like a hot knife through butter.
BOOM!!
Mudballman exploded, vanishing into shards of clay. The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Yes! The wall's gone! Now he can win this!"
"Let's go, Chuck! I'll always support you!"
"Attack! Attack!!"
Watching the jubilant faces of her classmates, Alicia sighed again. "They really are so naive... if they think this is enough to defeat me."
She raised her hand. "I activate my face-down card—Trap Card, Hero Signal! When a monster on my field is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Elemental HERO from my hand or Deck. I Special Summon Elemental HERO Stratos from my Deck!!"
The whir of turbines filled the air as a hero clad in a blue-and-white suit, jet wings spinning on his back, descended in style.
[Elemental HERO Stratos] Level 4│WIND│Warrior│1800 ATK
"Elemental HERO Stratos' effect activates! When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one HERO monster from my Deck to my hand. I add Elemental HERO Burstinatrix to my hand!"
Drawing the card from her Deck, Alicia looked across at the uneasy Chuck and said calmly, "Your Blue Flame Swordsman hasn't attacked yet. Are you going to?"
...
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