As they gazed upon the black-and-red hero, whose form resembled a humanoid beetle, both Alicia and Claire were struck with awe.
"Contact Fusion?" This was a type of fusion they had never heard of before.
Unlike standard Fusion Summons, this method didn't even require the Spell Card Polymerization—making it vastly more convenient. As a researcher and instructor, Claire immediately thought of another Deck with a similar summoning mechanic: the Gladiator Beasts.
Indeed, Neos's Contact Fusion resembled the Gladiator Beasts' Fusion Summon method, both returning the Fusion Materials from the field to the Deck to perform the fusion. However, there was one major difference. The Gladiator Beasts could use any combination of their monsters for fusion, while Neos's Contact Fusion always required Neos himself, combined with a specific Neo-Spacian partner, to summon the corresponding Fusion Monster form.
In that sense, Neos's Contact Fusion was somewhat more restrictive, though certainly not weaker. On the contrary, it was a powerful form of fusion whose true potential had yet to be fully shown.
Back on the field, even though Flare Neos's Attack hadn't changed, Alicia could clearly feel that this new form possessed far greater power than before. Still, she couldn't shake the sense that something about its energy seemed unstable.
Before she could think further, Neos's voice rang out once again.
"Elemental HERO Flare Neos's effect! This card gains 400 Attack for each Spell and Trap Card on the field. There are two Spell and Trap Cards total—so its Attack increases by 800!"
"Hah!!"
Flare Neos let out a sharp cry as crimson flames enveloped his body like armor, and his power surged.
[Elemental HERO Flare Neos, ATK: 2500 → 3300]
"I see... this form inherits the effect of that Flare Scarab monster… and even amplifies it!" Alicia clenched her fist. "What an incredible ability!"
Just from this demonstration, she understood the terrifying strength of Contact Fusion—even so, she refused to back down.
"I'm not done yet!" Neos continued, sliding his final card into his Duel Disk. "I activate the Equip Spell Instant Neo Space! This card can only be equipped to a Fusion Monster that lists Elemental HERO Neos as material. According to Flare Neos's effect, its Attack increases by another 400!"
A glowing, multicolored ring formed beneath Flare Neos's feet. His previously unstable aura settled, and his power rose once again.
[Elemental HERO Flare Neos, ATK: 3300 → 3700 | Equipped: Instant Neo Space]
"A 3700 Attack monster, summoned this easily?" Claire muttered. Then her eyes turned to Alicia with concern.
…The girl had no monsters on the field, and only one face-down card remaining. Could she withstand such power?
"Battle Phase!" Neos declared. "Flare Neos, direct attack—Flare Burst!"
Flare Neos leapt high into the air, pressing his palms together as blazing flames gathered between them. With a shout, he launched a massive fireball straight toward Alicia.
"Activate face-down! Continuous Trap—Soul Resurrection! I target one Normal Monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it in Defense Position! I choose Elemental HERO Clayman!"
[Elemental HERO Clayman, DEF: 2000 | Equipped: Soul Resurrection]
Seeing her monster return to the field, Alicia exhaled in relief. 'At least I can survive this turn,' she thought.
Yet, before she could relax, Neos's voice cut through the air again.
"I activate my face-down card—Trap Card, Hero Blast!"
Alicia seized up. She knew that card all too well.
"I target one Elemental HERO Normal Monster in my Graveyard and add it to my hand. Then, I destroy one monster your opponent controls whose Attack is less than or equal to that monster's. I return Elemental HERO Neos Alius from my Graveyard to my hand!"
The card flew out of Neos's Graveyard into his grasp. "Since Neos Alius is a Gemini Monster, it's treated as a Normal Monster while in the Graveyard or on the field. Now for Hero Blast's secondary effect—I destroy one of your monsters with less Attack than Neos Alius's 1900 Attack. I destroy your Clayman!"
A bolt of lightning struck down from above, obliterating Clayman instantly.
"Your defense is nothing but paper before me! Give up, girl!" Neos said mercilessly, his words striking deeper than the flames themselves. "And since the monster Special Summoned by Soul Resurrection was destroyed, that Continuous Trap is also destroyed. I've also used my last Set card, so Flare Neos's Attack decreases by 800!"
[Elemental HERO Flare Neos, ATK: 3700 → 2900 | Equipped: Instant Neo Space]
"Since your monster appeared and was then destroyed, a battle rewind occurs—I'll continue my attack! Flare Neos, Flare Burst!"
The crimson fireball roared forth once more. This time, Alicia had no defense left… despite that, her eyes were steady, filled with determination.
BOOM!!!
...
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