Chapter 224
Deep-Eyes White Dragon had arrived in Chiaki's hand through the guidance of Pot of Destiny's final draw, a data card waiting inside Kaiba Corporation's central mainframe since three thousand years before this moment. The azure glow of its circular wings was something no one present had seen before, and the collective reaction was unanimous.
"It's beautiful."
Chiaki raised her hand toward the radiant azure-white dragon gleaming above her field.
"When Deep-Eyes White Dragon is successfully Special Summoned, you must face the fury of every dragon in both Graveyards!"
Deep-Eyes White Dragon's third effect read: When this card is Summoned or Special Summoned, deal 600 damage to the opponent for each Dragon-type monster in both players' combined Graveyards.
"Between both our Graveyards, eleven Dragon-type monsters!"
Eleven dragon souls gathered along the luminous circular wings and erupted toward Amano with the full force of everything the duel had produced. Eleven times six hundred was six thousand six hundred. One strike capable of ending any duelist from full Life Points, a deep azure cataclysm bearing down on him from above.
With the arena floor crumbling beneath his feet, Amano reached into his hand and pulled out the last card he had remaining.
"I discard Pure Kuriboh from my hand."
Pure Kuriboh's effect read: When the opponent activates a monster effect that inflicts damage, discard this card from the hand to negate that activation.
"I negate Deep-Eyes White Dragon's damage effect."
An impeccably timed intervention from the smallest, most persistent protector in the game. The kuriboh emerged from the hand, absorbed the deep azure firestorm aimed at Amano, and quietly negated all six thousand six hundred damage.
Sincere apologies to the Kuriboh Protection Association.
"You nearly killed me with that, Kaiba."
"What tedious stubbornness you have, Amano."
With the damage negated, Chiaki continued.
"Deep-Eyes White Dragon inherits the ATK of the Dragon with the highest attack in my Graveyard. Ultimate Dragon, sleeping in the azure abyss, inherit the power of the greatest Fusion."
Deep-Eyes White Dragon's second effect was continuous: its ATK became equal to one Dragon-type monster in Chiaki's Graveyard. She chose Ultimate Dragon Wizard, resting there at 5000 attack.
Deep-Eyes White Dragon: 0 attack becomes 5000.
The crisis was not resolved. But Deep-Eyes White Dragon, despite sharing the same 5000 attack, did not carry the true triple negate that had defined Ultimate Dragon Wizard's presence on the field. Amano's last card still had a chance to activate.
"I set one card face-down. Turn end."
Amano's field: Elemental HERO Sparkman at 1600 attack, one set card, and nothing else.
"During your End Phase," Chiaki said, "the Permanent Trap True Light activates."
The azure stone slab, the second copy, pulsed once. With no Blue-Eyes White Dragon available in her Graveyard to revive, Chiaki could only use the second selectable effect.
"I place Goyo Roller from my deck face-down to my field."
True Light's second selectable effect: from the deck, place one Spell or Trap Card face-down that names Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, provided no copy currently exists on the field or in the Graveyard.
With that settled, Chiaki began her turn.
"My turn. Draw. And I activate the set Spell Card, Goyo Roller."
Goyo Roller read: Select three cards from your deck to show to the opponent. The opponent randomly selects one. That card goes to your hand; the remaining two return to the deck. The selectable cards are: Blue-Eyes monsters, or Spell and Trap Cards other than Goyo Roller that name Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
Chiaki made her selections. She presented the three cards to Amano.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
"Go ahead, Amano. Pick one at random."
Amano looked at the three cards. "Is there any point?"
All three were the same card. Whatever he chose, Chiaki was getting a Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
He complied with the mechanism and picked the rightmost one. Chiaki took the Blue-Eyes White Dragon into her hand without ceremony, confidence still settled in her expression.
Her analysis was straightforward. Deep-Eyes White Dragon at 5000 attack. Amano's field had only Elemental HERO Sparkman. The outcome of the duel was visible.
"Let's end this, Amano. Deep-Eyes White Dragon attacks Elemental HERO Sparkman!"
The azure light gathered once more along the circular wings, a concentrated beam of finality locking onto the lightning hero.
"Then it's my turn now."
Amano had been pushed to the same final instant Chiaki had reached earlier in the duel. He flipped the set card.
"Quick-Play Spell, Magical Textbook."
"The exact same Spell."
Chiaki's deep-blue eyes widened slightly, reflecting the man in front of her and the card he had just opened. The two of them had already shown each other too many mirrored moments across this duel. The same Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The same Synchro Summon. The same Spell used in the same final desperate situation, with no hand cards left to discard, betting everything on a single draw.
"My hand is zero. No cards to discard. I also stake my fate on this one."
The Magical Textbook effect read: Discard your entire hand. Draw one card from your deck. If that card is a Spell Card, activate it.
If the draw hit a draw Spell, Amano would simply get more hand cards, and Deep-Eyes White Dragon's 5000 attack would close the duel.
"Draw!"
Amano raised the card above his head, turned it so everyone present could see, and in the silence, the arena finally exhaled.
"I activate Equip Spell, Future Fusion. I am fusing right now."
Future Fusion read: Send Fusion Materials from your deck to the Graveyard. Then Special Summon the corresponding Fusion Monster.
"There's no time left, Amano," Chiaki said. "No matter what you summon, nothing can stop Deep-Eyes White Dragon from annihilating your field."
Even Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon would not be enough. Even another Ultimate Dragon Wizard would not block an already-declared attack on Elemental HERO Sparkman. The declared attack was in motion.
"You're completely wrong. Watch my final Fusion, Kaiba."
Amano slammed Future Fusion onto the Duel Disk.
Five cards ejected from his deck simultaneously, drawn by the Equip Spell's activation, spiraling into the Fusion vortex across a trajectory that seemed to bend space.
Acolyte with Eyes of Blue.
Protector with Eyes of Blue.
Witch with Eyes of Blue.
Maiden with Eyes of Blue.
Dark Magician Girl.
Chiaki's composed expression fractured.
These cards shared one attribute in common.
"I send these five Spellcaster-type monsters from my deck to the Graveyard for Future Fusion!"
The skill of Fusion Mastery fully deployed, Amano pushed every available resource toward the highest-level Spellcaster Fusion, meeting the azure dragon's killing strike with the full weight of five spellcasting traditions converging into a single point.
Level 12. The apex of Fusion resonance erupted on Amano's field.
"Five souls resonate in this place! Guide the supreme mage who has mastered all principles of the world!"
"Future Fusion Summon!"
"Quintet Magician!!"
Quintet Magician: Level 12. DARK. Spellcaster-type Fusion Effect. Attack: 4500. Defense: 4500.
Fusion conditions: 5 Spellcaster-type monsters.
From a golden pillar of magnificent light emerged the apex Level 12 Fusion Spellcaster, five stars of magical tradition united into a single towering presence. The Quintet Magician had descended into the corner Amano had been backed into.
Amano drove his fist forward, and five overlapping explosions detonated across the already-shattered Gold Stage arena floor.
"When Quintet Magician is Fusion Summoned using five Spellcasters with different names, its effect activates!"
Quintet Magician's first effect read: When this card is Fusion Summoned using five different Spellcaster-type monsters as materials, destroy all cards on the opponent's field.
"Zero Sequence: Truth Detonation!"
The largest magical explosion the Academy Challenge Tournament had ever staged erupted in a colossal mushroom cloud above the arena, rocking the entire venue and making even the rear-most spectators question what they were witnessing.
On the teacher's platform, Grafa had abandoned all pretense of composure and grabbed Raiden by the collar.
"Another Level 12 Fusion! This person should have been this academy's greatest talent, and it is entirely your fault for competing with me over him in the first place!"
Quintet Magician's board wipe swept over Chiaki's entire field. Deep-Eyes White Dragon, still channeling the destructive azure light it had been building to finish Amano, was consumed in the magical detonation before the attack could land. True Light was destroyed alongside it.
Deep-Eyes White Dragon was destroyed. True Light was destroyed.
But the chain did not end there.
Deep-Eyes White Dragon's fourth effect read: When this card is destroyed, destroy all monsters on the opponent's field.
The azure energy that had been aimed at Amano now detonated outward from the destroyed dragon in every direction. Elemental HERO Sparkman, standing on Amano's field, was caught in the blast.
Elemental HERO Sparkman was destroyed.
"Useless. Deep-Eyes White Dragon's dying surge cannot consume the supreme Quintet."
Quintet Magician's second effect read: While in the Monster Zone, this card cannot be Tributed, cannot be used as a Fusion Material, and cannot be destroyed by card effects.
Effect-destruction immunity. Quintet Magician stood untouched through Deep-Eyes White Dragon's entire parting volley, a monument in the wreckage.
True Light's destruction trigger then activated one final time, consuming whatever remained on Chiaki's side and leaving the arena floor in a state that made standing on it genuinely difficult.
The Gold Stage had been reduced to rubble.
Chiaki stood in the middle of it, upright on fractured ground, pointing toward the fading traces of Deep-Eyes's azure energy still dispersing overhead.
"After fighting to this degree, I have no reason to be defeated by you, Amano!"
The Kaiba family's pride was the real article. Empty field, 5000-attack Quintet Magician across from her, and she still refused.
"I activate Spell Card, Monster Reincarnation from my hand."
Monster Reincarnation read: Discard one card from your hand. Target one monster in your Graveyard and add it to your hand.
Not a revival like the classic Monster Reborn. A retrieval, carrying the target back from the Graveyard into the hand to be used again.
"I discard Blue-Eyes White Dragon and add Deep-Eyes White Dragon from my Graveyard to my hand."
Blue-Eyes White Dragon entered the Graveyard. Deep-Eyes White Dragon returned to Chiaki's hand. And with a fresh Blue-Eyes White Dragon now sleeping in the Graveyard, Chiaki played the next Spell.
"Finally, Spell Card, Gospel of Revival."
Gospel of Revival read: Target one Level 7 to 8 Dragon-type monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it. Additionally, when a Dragon-type monster you control would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you may banish this card from the Graveyard instead.
"In Defense Position, rise again. Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Defense 2500.
The white dragon returned to Chiaki's field in a defensive stance, placing its body between Quintet Magician and the only player who could still lose this duel. Chiaki set her last remaining card.
"I set one card. Turn end."
The hand Chiaki was holding was already known. One card remained visible to everyone watching: Deep-Eyes White Dragon, displayed openly for anyone to see.
The message was clear. If Amano attacked and destroyed that Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Deep-Eyes White Dragon would immediately emerge from hand, and the dragons filling both Graveyards would fuel another devastating burn. Pure Kuriboh had already been discarded. Amano had nothing left to negate it with.
"My turn. Draw."
The Continuous Spell activated in the same instant, holding its position through everything the duel had thrown at it.
"I reveal Space Spell Rabbit, a Normal Monster drawn this turn. Additional draw."
After dueling this far, Amano had no more reason to lose to Chiaki than she had to lose to him.
"Even against Kaiba. Come through for me."
Amano declared the draw as if issuing a directive to the card itself.
"Draw!"
The card entered his hand, and Amano felt the residual will within it the moment his fingers closed around it.
"I Normal Summon Space Spell Rabbit in Defense Position. Then I activate Spell Card."
This card had appeared in Amano's hand only once before, in the duel against Yugi Mutou. Since then, even though he had included it in his deck for every duel, his run of extraordinary luck had never brought it back to him. He thought he understood why.
The card retained the will of Kaiba Seto. And with that will came Kaiba Seto's pride. This card did not appear for an unworthy opponent.
Yugi Mutou had been worthy. Today, Kaiba Chiaki was worthy.
"Have you acknowledged your successor three thousand years in the future, Kaiba Seto?"
"Spell Card, Card of Demise."
Card of Demise read: Draw until you have five cards in hand. Then, during the Standby Phase of your fifth turn after this card's activation, discard your entire hand.
"I draw until I have five."
Amano pulled five cards from the deck in a single motion.
Among those five, one glowed differently from the others. A quiet, distinctive starlight that did not belong to ordinary cards.
"I activate the hand effect of Stardust Synchron."
Stardust Synchron was a frame-breaking card, a card that existed outside the standard ranked exchange channels, and it announced its presence accordingly.
Stardust Synchron's hand effect read: Target one Level 2 or lower monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon this card from the hand, and Special Summon the targeted monster with its effects negated.
"I target Maiden with Eyes of Blue in my Graveyard. I Special Summon both Stardust Synchron and Maiden with Eyes of Blue."
Stardust Synchron: Level 3, DARK Warrior Tuner. Attack: 1300. Defense: 500.
Maiden with Eyes of Blue: Special Summoned, effect negated.
Space Spell Rabbit, Maiden with Eyes of Blue, Stardust Synchron. Three Tuners, together on Amano's field in a single turn.
With only Tuners, however, no Synchro Summon was possible. Quintet Magician occupied the highest slot at Level 12. There was nowhere further to Synchro from there.
"I activate the effect of Priest with Eyes of Blue from my Graveyard."
Priest with Eyes of Blue's Graveyard effect read: Return this card from the Graveyard to the deck. Target one Effect Monster on your field and send it to the Graveyard. Then, from your Graveyard, Special Summon one Blue-Eyes monster other than the sent monster.
Light from a dragon soul emerged from the ground beneath Maiden with Eyes of Blue, rising through the soles of her feet.
"I send Maiden with Eyes of Blue from my field to the Graveyard and Special Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my Graveyard."
The swap of the Maiden for the White Dragon gathered every condition needed for the highest Blue-Eyes Synchro on the same field.
"Here we go, Blue-Eyes!"
Facing Chiaki's open-hand Deep-Eyes White Dragon threat, having already deployed the ultimate Fusion mastery, Amano raised the highest level of Synchro on the arena as well.
"I tune Level 3 Tuner Stardust Synchron and Level 1 Tuner Space Spell Rabbit together with Level 8 Blue-Eyes White Dragon for the maximum Synchro!"
Three Synchro rings from Stardust Synchron layered over one ring from Space Spell Rabbit, four total, blazing through the proud white body of Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Level 3 plus Level 1 plus Level 8 equals Level 12.
"Starlight gathered upon the white dragon's soul, advancing through dual Tuner Synchro toward the ultimate form!"
"Descend! Ultimate Dragon that shines between the spirit realm and reality!"
"Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon!"
Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon: Level 12. LIGHT. Dragon-type Synchro Effect. Attack: 3500. Defense: 4000.
Synchro conditions: Two or more Tuners plus one or more non-Tuner Blue-Eyes monsters.
The Synchro Dragon of the Blue-Eyes lineage, evolution at its apex, descended onto the arena alongside the Quintet Magician, the two greatest Summons of this extraordinary duel standing side by side on the ruins of the Gold Stage.
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