"O, wild winds sweeping through the valley, transform into a giant dragon and descend now! Clear the obstacles before me! Xyz Summon! Rank 4, Tornado Dragon!"
Ignoring the One-eyed Strong Man's astonishment and Serena's furious scolding, Yūga Hōzumi completed the summoning chant. Within the Stardust Vortex before him, a dragon composed of a tornado slowly took shape.
Tornado Dragon ATK: 2100
"I activate Tornado Dragon's effect! Once per turn, by detaching one Xyz Material from this card, I can target one Spell or Trap on the field and destroy it."
An Xyz Material circling the tornado dragon transformed into a fierce gale, sweeping toward the One-eyed Strong Man's other set card.
"How dare you defile Miss Serena's noble Fusion Deck with your Xyz Summon! Unforgivable!" the One-eyed Strong Man roared, having regained his senses. "I activate my Counter Trap, Gladiator Beast War Chariot!"
"While I control a 'Gladiator Beast' monster, when a monster effect is activated, its activation is negated and the card is destroyed! Go to hell, you foolish Xyz monster!"
The set card in the One-eyed Strong Man's backrow flipped open. A war chariot materialized from thin air, rushing forward with a roar and shattering Tornado Dragon to pieces.
"You had another one of those?" Yūga Hōzumi commented.
"Next turn, I'll make you, who dared to defile a noble Fusion Deck, taste the wrath of Fusion!" the One-eyed Strong Man gritted his teeth.
"Already thinking about the next turn, are we?" Yūga Hōzumi couldn't help but chuckle.
"Your Xyz Monster was destroyed, and you've already used your Normal Summon. What else can you do, other than a Fusion Summon from your hand? But it looks like you didn't include any Fusion cards in your deck…"
"This is just the warm-up. My performance has only just begun, and you won't be getting a next turn," Yūga Hōzumi said with a smile, casually announcing the duel's conclusion.
"I set the Pendulum Scale with the Scale 5 Pendulum Monster, Lunalight Tiger."
As Yūga Hōzumi slapped a card onto the right side of his Duel Disk, a towering pillar of light appeared behind him. Within it, the shimmering form of a vibrant tiger dancer could be seen.
"I activate Lunalight Tiger's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can target one 'Lunalight' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it. The monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack, its effects are negated, and it is destroyed during the End Phase."
"Revive! Lunalight Emerald Bird!"
The tiger dancer in the pillar of light waved her hand, casting down a gentle moonlight. Within the glow, the emerald bird dancer began to dance gracefully.
"A Pendulum Monster?" Everyone present was startled. Serena, the deck's original owner, stared with wide eyes. "There are 'Lunalight' monsters I don't know about? Have my own monsters betrayed me?"
"I activate the effect of Lunalight Yellow Marten from the Graveyard! While this card is in the Graveyard, I can target one other 'Lunalight' card on my field, return it to my hand, and Special Summon this card in Defense Position. If this card, Special Summoned by this effect, leaves the field, it's banished."
"I return Lunalight Tiger from the Pendulum Zone to my hand to Special Summon this card!"
"I overlay the Level 4 Lunalight Emerald Bird and Lunalight Yellow Marten!"
"You bastard! How many more times are you going to do this?!" Serena roared, tears of indignation welling in her eyes.
"O, raptor of the underworld, reveal the truth with your eyes of darkness, and seize glory with your sharp talons! Xyz Summon! Soar forth! Rank 4! Raidraptor - Force Strix!"
With a sharp cry, a fully-armored owl soared out from the Stardust Vortex.
Raidraptor - Force Strix DEF: 2000
"I activate the effect of Raidraptor - Force Strix! Once per turn, by detaching one Xyz Material from this card, I can add one Level 4 DARK Winged Beast monster from my Deck to my hand."
"I add Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn to my hand!"
"I activate the effect of the Spell Card, Lunalight Perfume, from my Graveyard!"
"By banishing this card from the Graveyard and discarding one card from my hand, I can add one 'Lunalight' monster from my Deck to my hand."
"I discard Lunalight Purple Butterfly from my hand to add Lunalight Kaleido Chick to my hand."
"I activate the effect of Lunalight Purple Butterfly from the Graveyard! By banishing this card from the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one 'Lunalight' monster from my hand."
"Appear! Lunalight Kaleido Chick!"
"I activate Lunalight Kaleido Chick's effect! Once per turn, I can send one 'Lunalight' monster from my Deck or Extra Deck to the Graveyard. This turn, if this card is used as a Fusion Material, its name can be treated as that of the monster sent to the Graveyard."
"I send the second Lunalight Kaleido Chick from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"I set the Scale 5 Pendulum Monster, Lunalight Tiger, in the Pendulum Zone."
"I activate Lunalight Tiger's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can target one 'Lunalight' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it. The monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack, its effects are negated, and it is destroyed during the End Phase."
"Return once more! Lunalight Yellow Marten!"
"I overlay the Level 4 Lunalight Kaleido Chick and the Level 4 Lunalight Yellow Marten!" Yūga Hōzumi called forth the Stardust Vortex once again.
"Please, I'm begging you, don't continue!" Serena cried from his feet, her voice already tinged with sobs.
"O, dragon born from the valley of lava, descend now! Show your fangs to the world! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Lavalval Chain!"
Lavalval Chain ATK: 1800
"I activate the effect of Lavalval Chain! Once per turn, I can detach one Xyz Material from this card to send one card from my Deck to the Graveyard!"
"I send Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite from my Deck to the Graveyard!"
"I activate the effect of Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite from my Graveyard!"
"While this card is in the Graveyard, I can return one face-up card I control to the hand to Special Summon this card, and then I take 400 damage."
"I return Lunalight Tiger from the Pendulum Zone to my hand to Special Summon this card!"
Yūga Hōzumi LP: 4000 → 3600
"I'll set the Lunalight Tiger that returned to my hand in the Pendulum Zone again!"
"I activate Lunalight Tiger's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can target one 'Lunalight' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it. The monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack, its effects are negated, and it is destroyed during the End Phase."
"Revive! Lunalight Kaleido Chick!"
"I activate Lunalight Kaleido Chick's effect! Once per turn, I can send one 'Lunalight' monster from my Deck or Extra Deck to the Graveyard. This turn, if this card is used as a Fusion Material, its name can be treated as that of the monster sent to the Graveyard."
"Although Lunalight Kaleido Chick's effect is negated, sending a 'Lunalight' monster from the Deck to the Graveyard is the cost to activate it, so the cost still applies. I send Lunalight Crimson Fox from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"Next, since I control a 'Blackwing' monster, this card can be Special Summoned!"
"Appear! Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn!"
"I overlay the three Level 4 monsters: Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite, Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn, and Lunalight Kaleido Chick!"
Yūga Hōzumi called forth the Stardust Vortex. The red number 91 slowly emerged on the back of his hand, seemingly at one with the vortex's core.
At this moment, Serena, who was at his feet, had lost all her strength. She stared blankly at the Stardust Vortex before her, her eyes dull and lifeless with streaks of tears beside them. She could only mumble ceaselessly, "My deck… my deck is tainted…"
(end of chapter)