"Your Blue Flame Swordsman hasn't attacked yet. Aren't you going to?"
Alicia's words made Chuck's expression stiffen. With his Blue Flame Swordsman's Attack now only 1600, attacking would be suicide; however, thanks to the effect of the Trap Card Battle Mania, any monster that could attack this turn had to do so.
Grinding his teeth, Chuck gave the command. "Sorry, Blue Flame Swordsman… attack Elemental HERO Stratos! Flaming Sword!!"
On the field, Blue Flame Swordsman gave a slight nod toward his master. The monster was, in truth, a variant of the Flame Swordsman itself, imbued with its Duel Spirit. It understood its master's helplessness.
In the next flash, Blue Flame Swordsman charged, swinging his greatsword wreathed in blue flames toward Stratos.
Abruptly, then, Stratos leapt into the air, flipped backward, and delivered a spinning kick that shattered Blue Flame Swordsman into sparks.
[Chuck, LP: 4000 → 3800]
Chuck clenched his fists tightly. Though the exchange wasn't a total loss, the feeling of being led around by the nose made him realize he'd completely lost control of the flow of battle. Losing Blue Flame Swordsman so early also meant he couldn't take advantage of its secondary effects. From Chuck's perspective, it was still a setback.
Letting out a deep sigh, Chuck glanced down at his remaining cards. Seeing no immediate chance to win, he exhaled slowly. "My turn ends. At this moment, since Blue Flame Swordsman has left the field and Hunter's effect ends, Hunter's Attack returns to normal."
[Hunter with 7 Weapons, ATK: 3700 → 1800]
This distinctly showed that Blue Flame Swordsman's buff effect was continuous—even if destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, the boosted Attack wouldn't revert. Moreover, it also had a Special Summon effect, though Chuck hadn't met its conditions when it was destroyed.
[Blue Flame Swordsman, Effect: (1) Once per turn, during either player's Battle Phase: You can target 1 Warrior monster you control, except this card; this card loses 600 ATK, and that target gains 600 ATK. (2) If this card on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card from your Graveyard, then target 1 FIRE Warrior monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target.]
"My turn! Draw!!"
Alicia looked at the card she drew and smiled faintly. "I Normal Summon Elemental HERO Burstinatrix!"
[Elemental HERO Burstinatrix] Level 3│FIRE│Warrior│1200 ATK
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Downbeat! I tribute one face-up monster I control and Special Summon from my Deck one monster with the same original Type and Attribute but one Level lower than the tributed monster. I tribute Stratos and Special Summon Elemental HERO Avian from my Deck!"
As the Spell took effect, white feathers swirled around Stratos, and from them, Avian soared forth.
[Elemental HERO Avian] Level 3│WIND│Warrior│1000 ATK
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Fusion Substitute! I send Fusion Materials listed on a Fusion Monster from my field to the Graveyard and Fusion Summon that monster from my Extra Deck! I fuse Burstinatrix and Avian to Fusion Summon! Hero who stands tall atop the skyscrapers—appear! Fusion Summon, Elemental HERO Flame Wingman!!"
The heroes of wind and fire flew into a swirling vortex, merging into a single form that descended as a blazing crimson comet.
[Elemental HERO Flame Wingman] Level 6│WIND│Warrior│2100 ATK
"Flame Wingman, huh..." Chuck glanced at his last Set card and felt slightly relieved.
Right then, before he could act, Alicia continued.
"Now, I activate the second effect of Fusion Substitute from my Graveyard! By banishing it, I can target one Fusion Monster in my Graveyard, return it to the Extra Deck, then draw one card. I return Elemental HERO Mudballman to my Extra Deck and draw one card!"
Alicia drew, and her eyes gleamed. She immediately placed the card onto her Duel Disk. "The final piece of my victory combo is here! I activate the Equip Spell Favorite HERO! This card can only be equipped to a Level 5 or higher HERO monster. I equip it to Flame Wingman!"
[Elemental HERO Flame Wingman, ATK: 2100 | Equipped: Favorite HERO]
"What!? Favorite HERO!? You actually have such a rare card!" Chuck cried, and the surrounding students of Class 1-E gasped in awe.
"You're kidding! Favorite HERO is an ultra-rare HERO card!"
"If I remember correctly, Favorite HERO can only be crafted by cardmakers of Archmagus level or higher… and the success rate is ridiculously low!"
"That's right! I heard one copy costs at least five thousand Gold Coins, and that's if you can even find one for sale! How could a Nameless One like her have something like that? She's a commoner, isn't she!?"
"Maybe it was a reward from the Dean or the Kingdom!"
"That's... such a generous reward from the Kingdom!"
"Not impossible. Without her discovering the Three Sacred Beasts early, who knows how many would've died that day?"
The students buzzed in awe and envy. Favorite HERO was an extremely rare Equip Spell, and its synergy with HERO decks was extraordinary. Even Professor White was visibly astonished… he owned only a handful of Spell Cards that could match it.
Alicia then raised her arm dramatically. "Battle Phase! At this moment, Favorite HERO's effect activates! At the start of either player's Battle Phase, I can activate one Field Spell directly from my hand or Deck! I activate from my Deck—the Field Spell Skyscraper!!"
The sky darkened as skyscrapers rose from the earth, a brilliant moon illuminating the cityscape. Flame Wingman soared to the top of the tallest building—Skyscraper itself—bathed in moonlight.
"At this moment, Favorite HERO's other effect activates! If there's a card in my Field Zone, the equipped monster gains Attack equal to its original Defense, and my opponent cannot target it with card effects!"
Flame Wingman roared, his entire body engulfed in blazing crimson flames as his power surged.
[Elemental HERO Flame Wingman, ATK: 2100 → 3300 | Equipped: Favorite HERO]
"Three thousand three hundred Attack!" Chuck stared in shock, but Alicia was already commanding with heroic fervor.
"Go, Flame Wingman! Attack Hunter with 7 Weapons—Skyscraper Shoot!!"
Flame Wingman dove from the heavens like a meteor of fire. Hunter raised his massive axe to meet him.
BOOM!!
The heartbeat their blows collided, the shockwave tore across the field. Chuck shouted, "Hunter with 7 Weapons' effect activates! When it battles a monster of the declared Type, it gains 1000 Attack during damage calculation!"
[Hunter with 7 Weapons, ATK: 1800 → 2800]
Even with the boost, Hunter couldn't withstand the fiery might before him. The axe melted into molten metal as Flame Wingman crashed through, blasting Hunter into fragments.
[Chuck, LP: 3800 → 3300]
The explosion sent Chuck stumbling backward, barely keeping his balance.
Suddenly, Flame Wingman appeared before him again, his right arm transforming into a dragon's head filled with swirling fire.
Alicia's voice rang out. "Flame Wingman's effect activates! When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's original Attack! Hunter with 7 Weapons had 1000 Attack—so you take 1000 damage! Sparkling Breaker!!"
Flames erupted from Flame Wingman's arm, engulfing Chuck in a burst of blazing heat.
[Chuck, LP: 3300 → 2300]
"Chuck!!"
"Shoot! That great setup just broke so easily!"
"It's fine! The duel isn't over yet! Anything can still happen!"
"Yeah! Believe in Chuck! He can still win!"
Alicia listened to their chatter and muttered under her breath, "Yuui-san... we really are the villains here, huh?"
Yuui: "...Maybe so. Still, didn't you want everyone's acknowledgment? Then show them your strength first."
"...Yeah!"
...
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