[Yumi, LP 4000]
[Planet Hunter, LP 4000]
"Now, by sending my three Super Quantum warriors to the Graveyard, I get to Special Summon their mech forms." The Planet Hunter spread his arms out a bit, striking a very deliberate pose along with his monsters.
"Quantum Change!"
A bright glow wrapped around the three armored warriors. Behind each of them, large mechanical silhouettes appeared, their shapes becoming clearer second by second.
Red Layer leaped first, springing straight up and landing smoothly inside a massive crimson mechanical lion. Panels shifted and locked into place as if welcoming him.
[Super Quantal Mecha Beast Magnaliger, 2600 ATK]
Next was Green Layer. He didn't leap as much as he just rose, being lifted by wind from below before slipping into the cockpit of a giant green mechanical bird circling overhead.
[Super Quantal Mecha Beast Aeroboros, 2400 DEF]
Finally, Blue Layer gave a short hop forward and disappeared into the core of a large twin-bodied blue dolphin machine that surfaced from a swirl of light, water-themed systems quietly humming.
[Super Quantal Mecha Beast Grampulse, 2800 DEF]
In just a few moments, the three warriors had completely disappeared into their machines. Now only the towering mecha beasts remained, lined across his field like they were used to being summoned together.
"I set one card," the Planet Hunter added, sliding the card into his Spell and Trap Zone. "Turn end."
A single facedown card appeared beside the three massive machines.
Seeing the line of three massive mechanical beasts staring him down, Yumi couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.
"This is Kamen Rider vs. Super Sentai all over again."
He smirked to himself, honestly not expecting that the so-called Planet Hunter would actually bring the Super Sentai–based series into this world. Of all things to show up here, this was pretty high on the list of "of course this would happen eventually."
"My turn. Draw." Yumi drew his card and took a short glance at his hand, quietly processing his options.
"First, I activate Masked HERO Inferno's effect in my hand." Yumi raised the card slightly so his opponent could see it. "By revealing this card, I can send a HERO monster from my deck to the graveyard, then Special Summon this card from my hand."
He slid his deck from his Duel Disk and picked the card almost immediately.
"I'll send Elemental HERO Shadow Mist to the graveyard," he said, sending the card away before placing another onto his Duel Disk. "Show yourself! Masked HERO Inferno."
A burst of flames spread outward, fading to reveal a masked warrior in crimson and gold armor calmly stepping forward.
[Masked HERO Inferno, 1600 ATK]
"Shadow Mist's effect," Yumi continued without pausing, "when she's sent to the graveyard, I get to add a HERO from my deck to my hand." He searched again, revealed his choice, and added it. "I'll add Masked HERO Dust Crow."
"Next, Inferno's effect. Once per turn, I can add either a 'Change' Quick-Play Spell or a Fusion card from my deck, graveyard, or banished zone to my hand." After searching, he revealed the card. "I'll add Heroes Change."
He still wasn't finished.
"I activate the effect of Masked HERO Dust Crow," Yumi said. "By banishing the HERO monster Shadow Mist from my graveyard, I Special Summon Dust Crow from my hand."
Shadow Mist's card slid out of the grave slot; Yumi removed it, then placed another monster on the field.
"Come out! Masked HERO Dust Crow."
A black-armored masked warrior appeared, his tattered cloak drifting slightly as if caught in a breeze only he felt.
[Masked HERO Dust Crow, 1200 ATK]
"Dust Crow's effect. When this card is Special Summoned, I can add a Masked HERO from my deck or graveyard to my hand." Yumi searched and revealed again. "I'll add Masked HERO Ray."
Even though none of these monsters had particularly overwhelming stats, the Planet Hunter could feel the board gradually tilting. Yumi wasn't rushing; he was just quietly setting pieces in place.
"Now, by returning a banished card to my deck," Yumi said, sliding Shadow Mist back into it and giving the deck a light shuffle, "I get to Special Summon Masked HERO Ray."
Light gathered on Yumi's side of the field, forming into a sleek golden-and-white masked warrior.
[Masked HERO Ray, 1800 ATK]
"Spell card, Polymerization." Yumi spun the card lightly between his fingers before holding it up. "I fuse Ray, Dust Crow, and Inferno on my field."
The three masked warriors stood together for a brief moment, then leapt into the swirling fusion vortex above them.
"Fusion Summon! Contrast HERO Ozu!"
A new masked hero descended, armored in red, black, and white segments, landing with a dull echo.
[Contrast HERO Ozu, 3000 ATK]
"Then I'll activate Aeroboros's effect!" the Planet Hunter cut in quickly. "Once per turn, I can target one other face-up monster on the field and switch it to face-down Defense Position. I target your Ozu."
The green mecha beast unleashed a heavy gust of wind toward Ozu, yet Ozu didn't even budge.
"What…?" the Planet Hunter muttered, watching the hero remain standing exactly as before.
"Ozu is unaffected by card effects except Spell Cards," Yumi replied casually. "Now, Ozu's effect. When this card is successfully Fusion Summoned, I equip its Fusion Materials to it from the graveyard."
He took Masked HERO Ray, Dust Crow, and Inferno from his graveyard and placed them into his Spell/Trap Zones.
"And now," Yumi continued, "by sending all three Equip Cards to the graveyard, I can send the same number of cards you control to the graveyard." The Equip cards slid off the field. "So I'll send your three Mecha Beasts to the grave."
"Not so fast." The Planet Hunter's face-down card flipped up. "Continuous Trap, Super Quantum Union - Magnaformation!"
He pointed toward his mechs. "My Super Quant monsters can't be targeted by your card effect, and I can target my three Mecha Beasts with different names to Fusion Summon their ultimate form!"
The three massive machines shot skyward, shifting, re-arranging, and locking together into something even larger, an enormous combined super robot casting a shadow over the trees.
"Come forth! Super Quantal Mech King Great Magus!"
[Super Quantal Mech King Great Magus, 3600 ATK]
"Amazing," Yumi said simply. Despite the giant robot staring down at him, he didn't look nervous. Just mildly impressed.
The Super Quant series, back in his previous world, is an Xyz archetype based on the famous Tokusatsu show, Super Sentai. And Great Magus was their boss monster.
With enough overlay units, it can basically have four effects. The first effect is a quick effect that lets it shuffle a card on the field back to the deck during the Main Phase. Its second effect makes it unaffected by card effects besides Super Quant cards. And its final effect, the most annoying effect. That prevents its opponent from adding a card from their deck to their hand by card effect.
Not to mention, when it is sent to the GY, it can Special Summon out the other three mech beasts that formed it.
The only issue here is that for almost all of these effects to be usable, Great Magus needs overlay units. But those are Xyz card's mechanics, where stacking two or more cards with the same level together could form a new monster with a similar rank to those monster levels.
So now being a full fusion card, does Great Magus have all of its effects without needing those overlay units? The other Mech Beasts can use their effect just fine without needing them.
Well, there is only one way to test it out.
"I activate the Spell, Angel Baton. I draw two cards, then discard one."
"Too bad," the Planet Hunter said with a satisfied look. "While Great Magus is on the field, you can't add cards from your deck to your hand."
Yumi discarded the card without complaint. That answered his question well enough.
This monster was no pushover and had all its abilities.
"Spell card, Miracle Fusion." He placed another card. "I banish Masked HERO Inferno and Dust Crow from my graveyard to Fusion Summon an Elemental HERO."
The vortex opened once more.
"Fusion Summon! Contrast HERO Omega."
A masked warrior in black and metallic gold and silver armor appeared, its red eyes quietly fixed on the towering mech, twin golden horns spearing out from its head.
[Contrast HERO Omega, 2500 ATK]
The Planet Hunter blinked. "Didn't you just say Miracle Fusion summons Elemental HERO? That's not-"
"All Contrast HERO are treated as Elemental HERO," Yumi replied in the same calm tone.
"Tch… then I activate Great Magus's effect. Once per turn, during the Main Phase, I can shuffle one card on the field back into the Deck, and I choose your Contrast HERO Omega!"
Great Magus unleashing a power beam toward Omega… suddenly, it bent toward Ozu instead.
"While Ozu is on the field," Yumi explained, "You can only target him with card effect. And since he's unaffected by anything that isn't a Spell card, he stays."
The Planet Hunter clicked his tongue in annoyance, but he still seemed confident. His monster was still the biggest thing out.
"And I activate Masked HERO Ray's effect in my graveyard. Once per turn, I can set a 'Change' Quick-Play Spell or Fusion card that was activated this turn back onto my field."
Miracle Fusion slid back out of the grave, and Yumi set it again.
"Battle. Omega, attack Great Magus."
The Planet Hunter crossed his arms. "It's useless. Great Magus can only be affected by Super Quant cards."
Omega rushed in, jumped forward, delivered his rider kick toward the massive mech; they clashed, and both monsters remained.
[Yumi, LP 4000 -> 2900]
"Once per turn," Yumi continued, "if Omega would leave the field, it doesn't. And if the monster it battles remains on the field afterward, Omega gains ATK equal to half that monster's ATK."
A golden glow wrapped around Omega.
[Contrast HERO Omega, 2500 -> 4300 ATK]
"I set two cards face-down," he finished, placing them without hurry. "Turn end."
By now, Yumi had a pretty clear idea why this Planet Hunter managed to beat the previous owner of the Planet cards so easily. With a boss monster like that, even The Supremacy Sun would probably have to politely bow out in a one-on-one. Not because it wanted to, just because the match-up wasn't in its favor.
Still, the Planet Hunter was also lucky in another way. Yumi wasn't using his main deck. He was treating this as a chance to test his Masked HERO deck, which meant fewer negates and less "no, you don't get to play" than usual.
As for why he went out of his way to complete a full Masked HERO deck in the first place? Well, Jaden would get his Neo-Spacian, and Aster had his Destiny HERO. If everyone else got a personal HERO theme and he didn't, he feels a bit left out if he didn't get his own HERO Archetype like the other two hero users.
"My turn. Draw!" The Planet Hunter drew and immediately slapped the card onto his Duel Disk.
"I activate Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two cards!"
Before the card even had time to glow, Yumi raised his hand slightly.
"Continuous Trap! Mystical Refpanel. Once per turn, when a card that targets a player is activated, its effect switches to the other player."
The Pot of Greed card was instantly sealed into the mirror-like panel of the trap.
The Planet Hunter frowned under his hood. "But as long as Great Magus is on the field, you can't add cards from your deck to your hand with card effects."
"I know," Yumi said, sounding almost cheerful. "But that doesn't mean I have to let you do it either."
The cloaked duelist clicked his tongue and went quiet for a brief second, sorting through what was left in his hand.
"Then battle. Super Quantal Mech King Great Magus, attack Contrast HERO Ozu!"
The massive mech launched forward, fist cocked back, aiming straight for Ozu. Then, halfway through the strike, Omega stepped in front of him and intercepted the blow, clashing directly with the giant mech.
"What!?" The Planet Hunter blurted out, genuinely caught off guard.
"Omega's effect," Yumi said calmly, "while he's face-up on the field, he's the only monster you can choose as an attack target."
Omega delivered a clean rider kick straight through Great Magus's chest, and the mech erupted into light.
[Planet Hunter, LP 4000 -> 3300]
As the smoke cleared, the Planet Hunter stared at the empty space where his boss monster had stood just seconds before.
Shocked? Yes. Finished? No.
"Great Magus's effect," he said quickly, refusing to stop. "When it leaves the field, I can Special Summon the three Mecha Beasts used to summon it!"
The scattered light regrouped, splitting apart and reshaping into three familiar massive machine beasts.
[Super Quantal Mecha Beast Magnaliger, 2000 DEF]
[Super Quantal Mecha Beast Aeroboros, 2400 DEF]
[Super Quantal Mecha Beast Grampulse, 2800 DEF]
The three Mecha Beasts returned to the field, surrounding Yumi's HEROes once more. Even so, the one who looked more pressured was the Planet Hunter himself. He had just realized how powerful and unpredictable Yumi Uzushi really is.
"Spell Card, Soul Taker. I target your Contrast HERO Ozu!" he declared, already pulling out another card to use afterward.
Before he could continue, Yumi's other face-down flipped open.
"Quickplay Spell, Heroes Change. I return any number of Fusion HERO monsters I control to the Extra Deck and Special Summon the same number of Fusion HERO monsters with the same Level, ignoring their summoning conditions."
Originally, the card had been called Construct Element in the manga and only worked on Elemental HERO monsters. Yumi had simply… adjusted it. If he was going to be using Masked, Elemental, and Vision HERO anyway, it made sense. And if Jaden or Aster ever needed it later, that'd just be a bonus.
"I return both Level 9 Contrast HERO Ozu and Omega to my Extra Deck," Yumi declared, the two heroes dissolving into light, "and Special Summon Level 9 Contrast HERO Ozu and Contrast HERO Chaos."
Ozu reappeared almost immediately, and beside him formed another warrior split evenly in black and white, a long scarf flowing behind him.
[Contrast HERO Ozu, 3000 ATK]
[Contrast HERO Chaos, 3000 ATK]
Although his spell was wasted since the targeted Ozu had left the field, the Ozu that stepped back onto the field now isn't the one that was targeted by Soul Taker.
The Planet Hunter didn't look annoyed.
Seeing the biggest problem piece known as Contrast HERO Omega has left the field, the Planet Hunter didn't hesitate to activate his trap card's effect.
"I activate Super Quantum Union - Magnaformation!"
"And I activate Chaos's effect," Yumi interrupted smoothly. "Once per turn, I can target one card on the field and negate its effect."
Chaos raised his hand. A burst of mixed light and dark energy wrapped around the Trap Card, sealing it completely.
The Planet Hunter could only clench his jaw. His main answer had just been shut off without fanfare.
"Ray's graveyard effect," Yumi added, like he was checking items off a list. "I set Heroes Change back to the field."
The Planet Hunter slowly lowered his hand. "Turn end," he said, not sounding happy about it.
Yumi's smirk shifted into a malicious grin.
Originally, he had suspected that this powerful monster could be easily Fusion Summoned, using Contact Fusion by simply sending the materials on the field to the grave.
Then, during mid-duel, Yumi realized.
Wait... This is a Boss monster!
And like almost every powerful boss monster in Yu-Gi-Oh, it didn't just stroll onto the field for free. There was always some special condition or key card.
Take the final BOSS of GX, Darkness, now called Nightshroud, thanks to Yumi, was the perfect example. To Special Summon out his Boss monster with the broken effect and combat power, he just needs the opponent to declare an attack while controlling Darkness Bramble and having Darkness Raincrow in his hand.
Super Quantal Mech King Great Magus fit the same pattern perfectly.
So Yumi tested his theory.
And the Planet Hunter confirmed it himself when he never even tried to contact fuse the three Mecha Beasts. He needed that Trap Card to combine them.
Seeing Yumi's menacing glow in the dark golden eyes and his sharp, dangerous grin, the Planet Hunter couldn't help but feel a chill running up his spine.