Having lost both of her Set cards and her defending monster in an instant, Alicia's situation became perilous in the blink of an eye.
"Yuui-san, I-I don't think I can beat him!" Alicia said, her voice trembling as she stared at the awe-inspiring figure of Neos. "He's... so strong! Maybe you should fight instead!"
Sensing the fear in her tone, Yuui's expression remained calm. He gently set her back on the ground and said, "Don't worry, Alicia. That last attack… that was the strongest power Neos can muster right now. Just like the Three Sacred Beasts, his strength has nearly faded away over these thousand years. The power he can use now is far weaker than what you saw in those memory fragments. Trust me. You can defeat him."
Meeting Yuui's gaze, Alicia still felt nervous, but she clenched her fists and nodded firmly. "All right, Yuui-san! I trust your judgment!"
She turned back toward the duel, ready to continue—abruptly, a soft voice stopped her.
"Wait, Alicia!" It was Instructor Claire, finally recovered from her daze.
"Instructor Claire, you're awake!?" Alicia exclaimed in surprise.
Claire smiled weakly. "Just barely. Alicia, I don't know what exactly happened while I was out... but I'll be cheering for you."
As a teacher, she felt useless… unable to stand and protect her students or her research team, forced instead to rely on them for salvation.
The title of "Instructor" felt meaningless now.
Still, there was nothing she could do. Her body, still frail from the incident with the Three Sacred Beasts, had been further strained by the surge of memories she'd experienced. And this strange space seemed to suppress spirit powers; her Duel Spirit couldn't even be summoned.
So all she could do was watch as Alicia fought in her stead.
Hearing her teacher's encouragement, Alicia nodded again. "Don't worry, Instructor Claire! Yuui-san said I can win… and if he believes that, then I'll definitely win!"
She returned to her position on the field and pointed straight at the silver-white hero before her. "I'll defeat you, Neos… and become your new master!"
Neos regarded the determined girl for a moment, then glanced briefly at Yuui. His eyes sharpened.
"If you think you can... then come prove it!"
He drew a card and slammed it onto his Duel Disk. "I Normal Summon the Gemini Monster—Elemental HERO Neos Alius!"
Brilliant light gathered on the field, and a slimmer, younger-looking version of Neos appeared—barely reaching the waist of the original.
[Elemental HERO Neos Alius, ATK: 1900]
"A Gemini Monster?" Alicia's eyes widened. She remembered Yuui telling her about them: monsters that required a second Summon to unleash their true power. Because of that, their effects were usually exceptionally strong.
That meant she had to defeat Neos Alius before it could reach full strength.
Meanwhile, Yuui, having noticed both the appearance of Neos Alius and the two cards left in Neos's hand, already guessed his strategy.
Even so, he couldn't say anything—not if Alicia was to truly earn Neos's recognition. Even if she won with his guidance, Neos wouldn't acknowledge her as his rightful master.
"I Set two cards and end my turn," Neos declared coolly, sliding his remaining cards into his Duel Disk. "Now it's your move, girl. Show me what strength you possess—worthy of a master's bond!"
"You'll see! My turn—draw!"
Alicia looked at her new card, then raised her hand. "I Normal Summon Elemental HERO Bubbleman in Defense Position!"
[Elemental HERO Bubbleman, DEF: 1200]
"I activate Bubbleman's effect! When this card is Normal, Flip, or Special Summoned while I control no other cards, I can draw two cards from my Deck!"
She drew two more cards, smiling. "Now I activate the Spell Card Hero Mask! I target one face-up monster I control, send one Elemental HERO monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, and until the End Phase, my targeted monster is treated as having the same name as the one sent to the Graveyard.
"I target Bubbleman, send Elemental HERO Avian from my Deck to the Graveyard, and this turn Bubbleman becomes Avian!"
A phantom image of Avian enveloped Bubbleman, transforming his form. Alicia immediately followed up, playing another card.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Polymerization! I fuse the Bubbleman who's treated as Avian with Elemental HERO Burstinatrix from my hand! Fusion Summon! The hero who stands atop skyscrapers—answer my call! Elemental HERO Flame Wingman!"
From the swirling vortex of fusion, two heroes emerged and combined, descending in a blaze of crimson fire.
[Elemental HERO Flame Wingman, ATK: 2100]
"Battle! Go, Flame Wingman! Attack Elemental HERO Neos Alius—Flame Shot!"
Alicia thrust her hand forward, shouting to shake off her fear. Flame Wingman spread his single wing, wreathed in blazing fire, and charged toward Neos Alius.
Neos raised a hand calmly. "I activate my face-down card—the Quick-Play Spell Gemini Spark! I Tribute one face-up Level 4 Gemini Monster I control to target one card on the field. Destroy that target, then I draw one card. I Tribute Elemental HERO Neos Alius and destroy your Elemental HERO Flame Wingman!"
"What!?" Alicia gasped. "That's even stronger than Order to Charge!"
The oncoming Flame Wingman closed in—suddenly, at that moment, Neos Alius was enveloped in radiant blue lightning. With a fierce punch, the smaller hero struck, unleashing a thunderous blast that shattered Flame Wingman to pieces. The impact reverberated across the field as Neos Alius vanished within the fading electric light.
Neos drew a card. "Gemini Spark's follow-up effect—after destroying a monster, I draw one card."
He looked briefly at the card in his hand, his gem-like blue eyes narrowing. Then, raising his gaze to the stunned Alicia across the field, he muttered:
"Little girl... can you really defeat me?"
...
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