"My turn—draw!"
Aster drew, glanced at the card, and immediately slammed it down.
"Spell Card: Spell Book from the Pot. Both players draw three cards from their Decks!"
Kira and Aster each drew three.
Aster's eyes skimmed his new hand; he narrowed his gaze and spotted a fresh line at once.
He looked up at the sinister Thousand-Eyes Restrict across the field.
You like bull-headed controllers, huh? And you won't let me attack, huh?
Then how about this?
"I activate the Spell 'The Warrior Returning Alive,' returning a Warrior-Type from my Graveyard to my hand. I return 'Destiny HERO - Fear Monger,' then Normal Summon!"
"Come on! Destiny HERO - Doom Lord!"
A blood-red vortex rose like a miniature cyclone—only to coalesce into a red cloak. The black-clad demon flicked the cloak aside and stood tall within it. A cold wind whipped the cape like a flag.
[Destiny HERO - Doom Lord, ATK 600]
Though only 600 ATK, this might be one of Aster's favorite Destiny HEROes. Not only was it the early face of the archetype, it was also the one he used most when moonlighting nightly as a vigilante.
"Doom Lord is a Destiny HERO who transcends time—he can send monsters to the future."
Aster snapped his fingers.
"Vanish into the future, two turns from now—Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"
Doom Lord lunged, his claw smashing into the Restrict's grotesque central eye.
Space itself seemed to twist, as if an invisible whirlpool opened and swallowed Thousand-Eyes Restrict whole.
The Dogma that had been equipped to Restrict let out a roar, finally wrenching itself free of the darkness. But once separated, Dogma's body immediately shattered, bursting into pieces.
Naturally so: Destiny HERO – Dogma, absorbed as an Equip, ceased to have its host on the field once Restrict was removed; losing its equip target, it was destroyed.
Aster liked to dress up Destiny HERO effects with lofty language, but "sending to the future in two turns" is, in truth, banishing the target.
While in Attack Position, Doom Lord can, once per turn, banish a monster on the opponent's field. The turn this effect is used, you cannot conduct battle. The banished monster returns during the controller's second Standby Phase after activation, in the same battle position.
"Since I used Doom Lord's effect, I can't battle this turn," Aster said coolly. "I end my turn."
"'Sending to the future' really is your style of phrasing," Kira smiled.
Aster frowned. "Don't talk like you know me."
"I didn't say I do," Kira shrugged. "It's just that in your hands, Destiny HEROes feel like they're shackled with a heavy chain called fate.
Like you're saying heroes are heroes because destiny left them no choice."
"Only those prepared to bear fate deserve to be called heroes," Aster shot back.
"Is that so? Was that also your father's intent when he designed Destiny HERO?" Kira asked. "When he made this Deck, was it to bind heroes to the heavy fate you carry?"
Aster froze.
Destiny HERO was the most important thing his father had left him—the Deck was like his very soul. In his heart, Destiny HERO and himself were one and the same.
But what had his father intended back then?
He realized he'd never really considered that question.
"My turn—draw."
Kira looked at his draw. The massive, gloomy Clock Tower stirred again, its hands turning as time pressed forward.
A deep, resonant roar came from within the tower, as though something were battering at the confines of its space. Heavy, bell-like clangs echoed across the field.
"I activate the Spell 'Pot of Greed' to draw two cards."
Kira drew, then seemed to consider.
"Mm. Clock Tower Prison now has five counters," Kira said. "Looks like even if I battle, I can't deal damage. I'll skip the Battle Phase.
From my hand—"
He fanned a thick grip of cards and first placed one sideways onto the Duel Disk.
"I Set a monster face-down."
A face-down appeared on his field.
"Then I set four back row cards. Turn end."
Aster's gaze flickered.
A Set monster, plus the back row—five set cards at once.
And he hadn't switched Synthesize Sphere to Attack to try to beat over Doom Lord—which made sense. With only 1000 ATK and the opponent on low LP, even attacking wouldn't deal battle damage, and might be risky.
To say Aster felt no pressure now would be a lie.
But this wasn't the time to back down.
"My turn—draw!"
He drew sharply, his momentum even stronger than before.
A glint flashed in his eyes; he slammed the drawn card down.
"Field Spell—
—Dark City!!!"
Night swallowed the field. Dark buildings rose from the ground.
Unlike Elemental HEROes' glittering skyscrapers, this was the city governed by DARK HEROes—a stage where evil breeds and villains roam.
"In Dark City, when a Destiny HERO attacks an opponent's monster and has lower ATK, it gains 1000 ATK during damage calculation!"
Obviously, the Destiny HERO version of Skyscraper.
But it suffered for debuting later in the anime. Despite being a reskin, it didn't enjoy anime-only perks, instead matching the printed effect.
Skyscraper's anime effect boosted ATK by 1000 whether you attacked or were attacked, as long as your E-HERO's ATK was lower. The printed card was nerfed—only when your E-HERO attacks. Dark City, being the reskin, follows the printed limitation: only when your Destiny HERO attacks.
Also, only one Field Spell can exist at a time. A new one replaces the old.
"With Dark City activated, the Field Spell 'Clock Tower Prison' is destroyed," Aster said.
Kira nodded. "When a Clock Tower with four or more 'Clock Counters' is destroyed, that's when it releases its true power."
Aster couldn't help frowning again.
This guy… really does know everything.
Why?
Who is this Revolver? How could he know this much about my Deck?
No time to dwell—he continued.
"When the Clock Tower with four or more counters is destroyed, the beast sealed within is freed!
Show yourself—my strongest Destiny HERO, the prisoner within the tower—
—Destiny HERO – Dreadmaster descends!!!"