But Tenjo Hikari was concerned about something else.
He noticed a slight resistance when he drew his card.
Indeed...
He glanced at Professor Paladin out of the corner of his eye.
It seems this so-called "role-playing duel" isn't purely for show; there's an additional "energy enhancement" in this duel.
Is it from the audience's support?
"My turn, draw—"
Tenjo Hikari quickly drew a card and continued, "Artorius, I have never betrayed nor attacked you."
"But since you cannot tolerate or forgive me, let's use a knight's duel to show my loyalty to the Round Table." He glanced at his hand card, "Equip Spell Card, Future Fusion!"
"Using this card, to awaken the future and demonstrate my resolve!"
"Then—Set Card!" John decisively activated a trap, "Counter Trap, Crystal Miracle!"
He slowly clenched his fist and said, "During the activation of a Monster's effect, Spell, or Trap Card, you can activate this. Destroy 1 of your own Crystal Beast, negate and destroy the activation!
I will destroy Amethyst Cat, send it to the Graveyard, and negate and destroy your Future Fusion's activation!"
Hmm.
Tenjo Hikari watched as a clock spun briefly in the sky, Pegasus kicked at it with its forelegs, shattering the clock, which then slowly dissipated.
Well...
"Justice will surely defeat evil, there is no 'future' for traitors!" John shouted handsomely with a slogan and struck a few poses, rapidly increasing his support rate.
Tenjo Hikari felt a slight pressure.
So that's how it is.
Is that what's happening?
The role-playing duel is quite interesting.
He felt his "spirit power" was being subtly honed.
Professor Paladin's research direction has some rather peculiar and impressive aspects...
"Indeed—but don't forget, I am the 'strongest' knight. Since you want to use Crystal, then let me show you my 'gem'!
Continuous Spell Card, Brilliant Fusion!"
With a casual flick, Tenjo Hikari revealed a spell card: "Brilliant Fusion's effect, send monsters from my Deck as Fusion Material to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight Fusion Monster with ATK and DEF 0."
Tenjo Hikari drew from his Deck, searching for two cards: "I will fuse my Deck's Gem-Knight Sapphire and Deck's Gem-Knight Nepyrim!
Fusion Conditions are Gem-Knight Sapphire and Gem-Knight Monster!"
"Gem-Knight Nepyrim?" Many people in the audience expressed doubt.
They had never heard Tenjo Hikari use this card before?
Moreover, why does this name sound strange?
"Shouldn't it be Gem-Knight Lapis and Gem-Knight Tourmaline? Who is this Nepyrim?"
"Indeed, this isn't Brother Hikari's usual summoning habit."
"Of course!" Tenjo Hikari seemed to hear the audience's doubts, "Because I am the strongest knight Lancelot, the knight wielding the demon sword—"
A group of students listened, slightly confused, but soon understood Tenjo Hikari's implication.
He was using tactics from the perspective of the "antagonist."
"Fusion Summon, Gem-Knight Aquamarine!"
A robust knight waved his hand in a knife-edge fashion and leaped onto the field.
This time, it truly is a "knight."
Gem-Knight Aquamarine, LV 6, Earth Attribute, Aqua-Type, Attack Power 0.
"Gem-Knight?" Sapphire Pegasus looked at the monster appearing opposite, couldn't help but sigh and became excited, "So this is the duelist John you mentioned, who also uses 'gem'?
It's indeed an interesting monster."
"However, its ATK is only 0."
The spirit of Amethyst Cat poked its head out from the Graveyard, peering at the scene on the field; "If the ATK is 0, there's no need to worry."
Tenjo Hikari chuckled: "At this moment, activate Nepyrim's effect!"
"When this card is sent from hand or Deck to the Graveyard, activate. Select 1 of your hand cards and send it to the Graveyard to Special Summon this card!"
Tenjo Hikari held up a hand card: "I'll send Gem-Knight Fusion to the Graveyard."
"Special Summon, Gem-Knight Nepyrim!"
Buzz—
A purple halo rose above Tenjo Hikari's head, slowly rotating and emerging.
Immediately, numerous puppet strings shot out from all directions, forming a recognizable image.
No—
Although it's a "recognizable" monster, it's much smaller than back then!
A slender little monster slowly appeared on Tenjo Hikari's field.
Gem-Knight Nepyrim, LV 4, Light Attribute, Fairy-Type, Defense Power 1600.
"Oh!!!"
"Isn't it Nephilim?"
"So it's Nephilim—"
Many people were enlightened.
Almost all students knew, apart from the spirit called "Midrash," the spirits Tenjo Hikari trusted most were Flame Swordsman and Gem-Knight Crystal, with Crystal possessing the form "El Shaddoll Grysta."
Previously they had wondered if other Shaddoll monsters had different forms, and today they found out that indeed, Nephilim also had a Gem-Knight form.
Tenjo Hikari looked at Nepyrim, filled with excitement.
This card was a newly created card during this time.
Apparently, by unlocking Lapis's body, the powers of Gem-Knight and Shaddoll began to naturally increase, not only successfully creating "Gem-Knight Seraphinite" but also introducing a card Tenjo Hikari had never seen before.
Gem-Knight Nepyrim!
Powerful, strong, mighty! This card's appearance made Tenjo Hikari instantly realize he needed to rethink his Gem-Knight deck construction.
"Nepyrim's effect, activate upon Summon or Special Summon. Add 1 Gem-Knight card from your Deck to hand, excluding Gem-Knight Nepyrim. In this turn's main phase, opponent's effect damage becomes halved!"
"Such a powerful effect!" Judai exclaimed from below.
Others hadn't reacted yet, but Manjome, who had teamed with Tenjo Hikari before, instantly remembered that card: "Ah, so strong!?"
"Aha!" On stage, the Tyler Sisters had brightened eyes, and Gloria couldn't help but clap her hands, "Is it that, 'Dispersion'!"
"Nepyrim's effect—Add Gem-Knight Dispersion from the Deck to hand!" Tenjo Hikari gleefully added Gem-Knight Dispersion to his hand from his Deck.
"Immediately use it!" Tenjo Hikari raised the card in his hand, countless purple lightning descended from the sky, illuminating his figure with terror, darkness, and depth.
However, thanks to this light and its impact, Tenjo Hikari's supporters began to increase crazily.
Playing an antagonist requires awareness of being an antagonist!
Boom!
Boom!
Under the lightning, Tenjo Hikari, clad in armor, seemed truly like a hunter-knight who has destroyed countless planets to hunt monsters, appearing enormously tall, causing many students from the "Noble Knight" camp to bow their heads involuntarily.
"Gem-Knight Dispersion is a Gem-Knight exclusive Fusion Spell Card, using monsters in hand or field as Fusion Material for a Gem-Knight Fusion Summon—but when there's Gem-Knight Fusion in your Graveyard, Rock-Type Gem-Knight monsters from Deck, Extra Deck can use up to two as Fusion Material!"
John, Sapphire Pegasus, and Amethyst Cat stared dumbfoundedly at Tenjo Hikari: "Fusion from Extra Deck?"
Tenjo Hikari raised his lips, saying: "I will use the Aquamarine on the field, plus Gem-Knight Ruby and Tourmaline from the Extra Deck as Fusion Material, Fusion Summon!!"
Boom!
A gigantic gem sword descended from the sky, followed by a knight draped in white, who slowly swung his cape, resting both hands on the sword's grip, unleashing terrifying purple lightning.
"LV 9!"
"Gem-Knight Master Diamond!"
Gem-Knight Master Diamond, LV 9, Rock-Type, Attack Power 2900.
As the antagonist knight, he took the lead in summoning the "King of Knights"!