"Haha, as expected of you, Yusei, I really can't fool you."
Kira admitted with narrowed, smiling eyes. "That's right. It's the effect of 'Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder'.
As long as this card is on the field in Defense Position, your opponent cannot select any other monsters you control as an attack target!"
So it hadn't been a bluff at all, but rather Hamon's monster effect.
Only then did everyone finally understand, though they all felt a pang of regret at the same time.
"Damn it, that was such a perfect chance…" Crow sighed.
Jack also understood. "So a defense-position 'Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder' is itself a defensive shield, huh?"
Having this round of attacks blocked was a real shame, but Yusei and Crow exchanged a glance, and at once a new plan formed in their hearts.
"It's not over yet. My—no, our full strength still isn't finished!"
Yusei declared.
"I set one card face-down and end my turn."
At that exact moment, Majestic Star Dragon's entire body burst into dazzling radiance.
Yusei said, "In the End Phase, Majestic Star Dragon's effect activates.
Just like Majestic Red Dragon, Majestic Star Dragon cannot remain on the field for long either. It can only stay for a single turn. In the End Phase, Majestic Star Dragon returns to the Extra Deck, and 'Stardust Dragon' is Special Summoned from my Graveyard."
Majestic Star Dragon's form began to fade into a phantom. Its shining dragon wings spread wide as it soared into the sky, as if dissolving into star dust.
And in that instant, right before Majestic Star Dragon vanished and Stardust Dragon returned—
"This is the moment I was waiting for!" Crow shouted. "This is our true full-power, our final move!
I activate my face-down card, the Trap Card 'Cosmic Blast'!
When a Dragon-Type Synchro Monster you control leaves the field, you can activate this card: inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's ATK!" (Anime card)
This was another original Trap from 5D's, and it actually had a pretty decent appearance rate.
It triggers when a Dragon-Type Synchro leaves the field—its synergy with the Stardust Dragon series, which often tributes itself to negate effects, is obvious at a glance. In the anime, Yusei used this card quite a lot. He would tribute Stardust Dragon, then chain Cosmic Blast to immediately inflict 2500 damage—Stardust Dragon's ATK—on top. It was a superb surprise-kill tool, often letting him turn the tables and finish off opponents who thought they still had the advantage.
Kira, however, remembered that this card should belong to Yusei. Crow's Deck at this point really shouldn't contain any Dragon Synchro Monsters.
Since he had included such a card, that could only mean the Deck had been adjusted specifically for this tag duel.
"As expected of his long-time partner from The Enforcers. Your bonds really are maxed out." Kira remarked.
This combo had to be called pretty terrifying.
If the entire three-man combo on the opposing side had gone through this turn, then Majestic Star Dragon, with 9300 ATK, would have just destroyed the Lord of Phantasms. That alone would have dealt 5300 damage in battle.
Then, at the end of the turn, when Majestic Star Dragon left the field due to its own drawback, they could follow up with Cosmic Blast at that exact moment to inflict an additional 9300 damage—Majestic Star Dragon's current ATK.
In total, they could have exploded for 14,600 damage in a single turn. Even if Kira had two Life Points bars, both would have been shredded.
"So strong…"
Luna stared blankly at the shining phantom of Majestic Star Dragon in the sky, momentarily dazed.
Whether it was Kira or the trio on Yusei's side, they were all monstrously strong. Even facing a Sacred Beast deck, they had still managed to construct a one-turn-kill combo like this.
Leo was even more excited, practically clapping already.
"Yeah, even if Majestic Star Dragon's attack got blocked, Cosmic Blast could still guarantee lethal damage. This desperate counterattack combo is really cool."
Kira's expression twisted into a strange smile.
"Well, for a moment there I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to just let you guys win like this—but unfortunately, I don't really have a choice right now…"
Boom!
Majestic Star Dragon's dragon soul slammed into Kira's field, but it was as though it had collided with an invisible barrier. A towering golden phantom surged up from the ground, rising like a transparent mountain to block the attack.
Yusei: "Nani!?"
Even at this last, last moment—before such a perfect desperate counterattack—did this man still have a countermeasure?
That was—
"Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!" Crow cried out in shock.
Yes, it was Hamon. The Hamon that should have already been destroyed had somehow reappeared. Its body was still shattered and broken, yet it tenaciously stood in front of Kira.
"Correct." Kira said. "Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder's final effect:
During the turn this Defense Position card is destroyed, all battle and effect damage the controller of this card would take becomes 0." (Anime effect)
Absolute defense!
"You're forced to attack Hamon, and then during the turn it's destroyed you can't even take damage… this effect is way too underhanded!" Crow protested.
Kira smiled. "Your combo was excellent. But if that was your final move just now, I'm afraid it still falls a bit short."
Yusei: "…"
After two seconds of silence, he said, "Continue resolving Majestic Star Dragon's effect. I Special Summon 'Stardust Dragon' from my Graveyard in Defense Position. My turn is over."
[Stardust Dragon, DEF 2000]
Of course, at that moment, the Lord of Phantasms on the field generated another Token.
"Then it's my turn. Draw."
Kira said calmly.
"If your plan is to let Stardust Dragon in Defense Position tank this turn, I'm afraid that won't work either.
Once again I activate the effect of the Field Spell 'Fallen Paradise'. As long as a Sacred Beast is on the field, once per turn I can draw two cards from my Deck."
"Then I activate the Spell Card 'Foolish Burial' to send a monster from my Deck to the Graveyard.
I send 'A/D Changer' from my Deck to the Graveyard."
Yusei's expression tightened. "That card is…"
"Exactly." Kira said. "By banishing A/D Changer from the Graveyard, I can change the battle position of one monster on the field.
I change your Defense Position 'Stardust Dragon' back to Attack Position!"
[Stardust Dragon, ATK 2500]
Crow: "Damn it! He's forcing Stardust Dragon into Attack Position and plans to use that as the breakthrough point…"
"Quick-Play Spell 'Burial from a Different Dimension'." Kira continued. "I can return up to three banished monsters to the Graveyard.
I return 'Raviel, Lord of Phantasms – Shimmering Scraper', 'Uria, Lord of Searing Flames', and 'Phantasmal Summoning Beast' from the banished zone to my Graveyard."
"Then I Tribute one 'Phantasm Token' on my field to return 'Raviel, Lord of Phantasms – Shimmering Scraper' from my Graveyard to my hand."
Jack: "That thing again…"
"This is bad!" Crow said. "If Stardust Dragon is forced into Attack Position and then gets attacked by Raviel, and Raviel's ATK is doubled afterward…"
They would be instantly wiped out!
Yusei's face was grave and silent, but he was not panicked.
His last face-down card was the Continuous Trap "Scrubbed Raid". By sending one card from the field to the Graveyard, it could forcibly end the Battle Phase. One way or another, he should at least be able to block the attacks for this turn.
If they survived this turn, then next turn—
"Judging by your expression, it seems you still have a counter ready even now. As expected of Fudou Yusei."
Kira chuckled.
"Letting a Duelist as strong as you have another turn is far too dangerous." Kira abruptly cut off Yusei's train of thought. "I'd better just end this quickly."
The three of them: "!"
"I Tribute the second 'Phantasm Token' on my field to Tribute Summon!
Level 5, 'Dark Summoning Beast'!"
[Dark Summoning Beast, ATK 0]
Level 5, and 0 ATK again.
By now, the trio was practically developing PTSD at the sight of 0-ATK monsters. Their opponent in this Duel had been spamming nothing but 0-ATK monsters, all of them creepy and ominous.
"Dark Summoning Beast's effect: by Tributing itself, I can Special Summon up to one each of 'Uria, Lord of Searing Flames', 'Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder', and 'Raviel, Lord of Phantasms' from my Graveyard, ignoring their Summoning conditions." (Anime effect)
The trio: "Nani!?"
"I Tribute Dark Summoning Beast and Special Summon from my Graveyard—arise again!
Uria, Lord of Searing Flames!
Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!"
Uria and Hamon, the two Sacred Beasts that had just been returned from another dimension, descended once more.
All three Sacred Beasts were gathered!
"He actually assembled all three Sacred Beasts…" Crow felt his throat go dry.
"However, after activating this effect I cannot conduct my Battle Phase this turn…
But I won't be needing it anyway." Kira said. "These three Sacred Beasts are monsters that transcend even the rule of 'you can only attack during the Battle Phase'. Allow me to show you what that means.
I activate the effect of 'Phantasmal Summoning Beast' in my Graveyard. By banishing this card from the Graveyard, I can add the Spell Card 'Dimension Fusion Destruction' from my Deck to my hand."
Kira drew out the searched card, then raised it above his head.
"I activate the Spell Card 'Dimension Fusion Destruction'!
By banishing from my field one each of 'Uria, Lord of Searing Flames', 'Raviel, Lord of Phantasms', and 'Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder', I perform the ultimate fusion of the Sacred Beasts!" (Anime effect)
The printed card version of Dimension Fusion Destruction is massively buffed. In the real TCG, you don't even need to have them on the field—you can fuse from hand or Graveyard just the same. Also, any monsters Special Summoned by this effect deal no battle damage, another effect that wasn't in the original anime version.
Kira, however, hadn't yet "developed" that real-card buffed version, so he could only first gather the three on the field and then activate it.
"Fusing the Three Sacred Beasts!?" Crow exclaimed in shock.
So these already terrifying three Sacred Beasts could be fused as well?
What kind of monster would that create?
The solidified air seemed to weave together into an invisible net as ominous darkness ripped open the sky. A thunderous roar shook the heavens. At the center of a vortex of purple light, a colossal entity slowly emerged amidst lightning. Its massive, ferocious body was wreathed in violet thunderbolts, bizarre flames flickering with eerie brilliance. Even its silhouette alone was enough to drive one to madness.
"Chaos Phantasm, Armityle—Summon!"
[Armityle the Chaos Phantasm, ATK 0]
Yusei: "So this is the ultimate fusion form of the Sacred Beasts…"
Jack: "Its ATK is 0 again!"
After this Duel, they were really going to be traumatized by 0-ATK monsters.
Dark Summoning Beast, Phantasmal Summoning Beast, Chaos Core…
And now even this so-called twelve-star ultimate monster still had 0 ATK!
"Hahahaha, yes, its ATK is 0. Because Armityle… simply doesn't need ATK."
Kira smiled.
"Chaos Phantasm, Armityle—its effect activates.
Once per turn, it inflicts 10,000 points of battle damage to your monsters and your Life Points!"
The trio: "?????"
What the heck?
Yusei's pupils contracted as terror surged in his heart.
Inflicting 10,000 battle damage directly—
Without attacking, without needing the Battle Phase at all. Only now did he fully realize what Kira had meant earlier.
The ultimate Sacred Beast, a being that had truly transcended the rules—the pinnacle existence of the Duel Monsters world!
"Chaos Phantasm, Armityle!" Kira commanded. "Deal 10,000 points of battle damage to Stardust Dragon!"
Armityle's massive wings beat once. The gaping maw of Uria, attached to its arm, opened wide, unleashing a brilliant, scorching torrent of energy. The entire altar seemed to be lit ablaze as, at the moment of impact, it felt as though heaven and earth themselves would be torn apart by this power.
Hellfire erupted from the collision point, surging outwards like a tidal wave, consuming everything in its path!
[Crow / Jack / Yusei, LP 4300 → LP 0]
…