Magus‑level magic burst from Roland's body. To possess magic of this caliber in the third year—at just sixteen—was enough to prove that Roland was an exceptional prodigy.
Perhaps he could not be compared to the Grand Princess, Sera Bredt, but Sera was never a standard one could reasonably measure others against.
At this moment, wrapped in pale golden magic, Roland's gaze grew even colder as he looked toward Alicia (Yuui). Then he swept his arm and shouted once more: "I activate Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor's effect again! Once per turn, I can Special Summon from the Extra Deck 1 Gladiator Beast Fusion Monster other than this card, ignoring its Summoning conditions.
"I choose to Special Summon from my Deck the proud ruler of the skies—Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!!"
"Kyaa!!"
A sharp eagle's cry pierced the heavens. A bird‑man Gladiator Beast clad in dark green armor spread its wings and descended.
[Gladiator Beast Gyzarus] 2400 ATK
"Gladiator Beast Gyzarus's effect activates. When this card is Special Summoned, I can target up to 2 cards on the field and destroy them." Roland pointed sharply. "I choose to destroy your Continuous Trap Scrum Force and your other Set card—Emperor's Wing!!"
"Yah!!"
Gyzarus let out another shrill cry, then ascended into the air. With a sweep of its wings, dozens of feathers as sharp as steel blades shot toward Yuui's back row.
Seeing this, Yuui called out: "Then I activate the Trap Card Hero Blast! Target 1 Normal Monster with 'Elemental HERO' in its name in your Graveyard; add it to your hand. Then destroy 1 monster your opponent controls whose Attack is less than or equal to that monster's Attack.
And next, Scrum Force's effect! If this card would be destroyed by a card effect, I can destroy 1 other Spell or Trap I control instead. I choose my Continuous Spell Mirage of Nightmare as the substitute—destroy it!!"
Mirage of Nightmare shattered instantly, and multicolored light wrapped around Scrum Force, shielding it completely.
Roland's brows tightened further, while Yuui continued: "Then, as for Hero Blast's effect, I add Elemental HERO Burstinatrix from my Graveyard to my hand, and I destroy your monster with less Attack than her—Gladiator Beast Gistel!"
Burstinatrix's silhouette appeared on the field and launched a flaming blast, wiping out the wolf‑man Gladiator Beast.
Gyzarus's steel feathers rained down moments later, but they were now unable to destroy a single card.
Even so, though his offense had been obstructed repeatedly, Roland forced down his anger and instead made the most optimal decision.
"If I can't destroy your cards with effects, then I'll tear down your defenses head‑on!" Roland declared. "I activate my Field Spell Flavian – Colosseum of the Gladiator Beasts' first effect. Once per turn, I can discard 1 card to add 1 Gladiator Beast monster from my Deck to my hand.
"I discard 1 card and add Gladiator Beast Spartacus from my Deck. Then I Tribute Gladiator Beast Hoplomus on my field to Tribute Summon Gladiator Beast Spartacus!!"
The yellow‑gray rhino Gladiator Beast dissolved into motes of light. A moment later, a towering dinosaur‑like Gladiator Beast wielding a massive axe appeared.
[Gladiator Beast Spartacus] 2200 ATK
"I'm not done! I return Spartacus and Gladiator Beast Gyzarus to the Deck and Fusion Summon! The materials are Spartacus and any Gladiator Beast monster!!"
A black vortex opened, swallowing both monsters.
"O invincible warrior who sweeps aside all foes—take up the power of kings, and dominate the battlefield! Fusion Summon! Appear—Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz!!"
"ROOOAR!!"
With overwhelming killing intent and the authority of a king, the newly empowered Spartacus—now transformed—burst from the dark vortex. Though still a warrior, he had unmistakably become a ruler.
[Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz] 2600 ATK
"Then I switch Editor to Attack Position—Battle Phase!"
[Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor, DEF 3000 → 2400 ATK]
"First, Gaiodiaz attacks Elemental HERO Clayman—Ground‑Split Battle Axe!!"
Gaiodiaz roared and swung his massive axe toward Clayman.
Yuui immediately revealed a card and shouted: "Weren't you all eager to witness his power? Then open your eyes wide!
"I activate the effect of Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos from my hand! When your opponent declares an attack, I can Special Summon this card from my hand in Defense Position!"
Pale golden light burst into a storm of radiance across Yuui's field. From within the brilliance, the phantom form of Neos surged forth, blocking the incoming strike.
[Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos] 2000 DEF
"Spirit of Neos"!? A derivative form of Neos, is it?" Roland looked at the newly appeared Spirit of Neos and immediately understood the nature of the monster.
Yuui then swept his arm and shouted, "Right now, Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos's effect activates! Once per turn, when this card is Special Summoned, I can activate its effect: add 1 Spell or Trap that lists an 'Elemental HERO' monster's name, or 'Polymerization', from my Deck to my hand.
"I choose to add the Spell Card Wrath of Neos to my hand!"
Seeing Yuui draw a card, Roland once again turned his gaze toward Spirit of Neos. Though it was a 'derivative form,' he could clearly sense a Spirit residing within it—surely the very Elemental HERO Neos the First Prince desired.
However, the power possessed by this unknown Spirit was uncertain, so…
"Battle rewind! Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz continues its attack on Elemental HERO Clayman—Ground-Split Battle Axe!"
Gaiodiaz swung its axe once again, its target still Clayman.
Seeing this, Yuui raised an eyebrow slightly. So he didn't fall for it. Seems he isn't a brainless idiot after all.
The next heartbeat, Gaiodiaz's axe descended. Clayman raised his arms to block, just as Roland revealed the card he had drawn this turn.
"At this moment, the effect of Gladiator Beast Vespasius in my hand activates! Once per turn, during the start of the Damage Step when my Gladiator Beast battles, I can Special Summon this card from my hand.
"And as long as this card Special Summoned by the effect of a Gladiator Beast remains on the field, all my monsters gain 500 Attack!!"
A swirling column of water erupted, and a towering sea-dragon Gladiator Beast emerged, wielding a heavy single-edged sword.
[Gladiator Beast Vespasius, Attack: 2300 → 2800]
[Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor, Attack: 2400 → 2900]
[Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz, Attack: 2600 → 3100]
Powered up, Gaiodiaz brought its axe down with full force and cleaved Clayman cleanly in two.
Roland immediately declared: "Gaiodiaz's effect! When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, it inflicts damage to your Life Points equal to that monster's Defense. Clayman's Defense is 2000—so you take 2000 damage!!"
Gaiodiaz roared and swung its axe toward Yuui.
Yuui raised his arms to guard, but the overwhelming force sent him flying backward, agony shooting through his limbs as though his arms no longer belonged to him.
"AAAH! Yuui-san!!"
[Yuui, LP: 4000 → 2000]
"I'm fine… just a scratch." Yuui gritted his teeth and forced his trembling arms upright, whispering reassurance to Alicia.
Meanwhile, Roland pressed on: "Next—Gladiator Beast Vespasius attacks Elemental HERO Sparkman! Tidal Slash!!"
The massive sea dragon charged forward, its greatsword wrapped in a spiraling torrent. One stroke cleaved Sparkman apart, his form shredded by water and steel.
"And now… show me, Hero of legend who once defeated the Three Sacred Beasts—what power you possess!" Roland commanded again. "Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor—attack Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos! Thunderlight Scepter!!"
Editor raised his scepter high. Arcs of lightning gathered at its tip, converging into a colossal hammer of thunder.
With a mighty swing, Editor hurled the thunder-hammer toward Spirit of Neos.
BOOM!!
A pillar of lightning swallowed Spirit of Neos. Alicia's face tensed with worry, but Yuui calmly said, "Don't forget Spirit of Neos's effect—battle can't destroy him."
Sure enough, when the lightning dispersed, Spirit of Neos—though standing atop scorched ground—remained completely unharmed.
Seeing this, Roland muttered coldly: "As expected… something's off."
"Spirit of Neos's effect: the turn he is Special Summoned by his own effect, he cannot be destroyed by battle." Yuui met Roland's gaze. "Well? Does Neos's power meet your expectations?"
"If this is all he can do, I'll start doubting His Highness the First Prince's judgment. Being immune to battle destruction means nothing—I can just destroy him with effects."
Roland swept his arm. "Battle Phase ends! Now, Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz's effect activates! At the end of the Battle Phase in which it battled, I return it to the Extra Deck to Special Summon 2 Gladiator Beasts from my Deck except Spartacus.
"I return Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz and Special Summon Gladiator Beast Murmillo and Gladiator Beast Equeste!!"
Gaiodiaz turned into a streak of light and returned to the Extra Deck. In its place, a fish-like Gladiator Beast and a centaur Gladiator Beast appeared.
[Gladiator Beast Murmillo] 400 DEF
[Gladiator Beast Equeste] 1200 DEF
"And now, Murmillo and Equeste's effects activate! And since a Gladiator Beast was Special Summoned from my Deck this turn, Flavian – Colosseum of the Gladiator Beasts' final effect activates again."
Roland raised his hand: "First, Flavian's final effect—I Set from my Deck the Spell Card Gladiator's Return.
Next, Murmillo and Equeste activate their effects! When each is Special Summoned by the effect of a Gladiator Beast monster: Murmillo destroys 1 face-up monster on the field, and Equeste adds 1 Gladiator Beast card from my Graveyard to my hand.
Naturally, the monster I destroy is your Spirit of Neos. And the card I return from my Graveyard is Gladiator Beast Noxious."
A chain of effects fired off. A card shot out of Roland's Deck; he took it. The fish-type Gladiator Beast blasted two bubbles at Spirit of Neos—shattering him instantly. Then, a card popped out of Roland's Graveyard, which he retrieved.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Gladiator's Return!" Roland revealed the freshly added Spell. "Return 3 'Gladiator Beast' cards from your Graveyard to the Deck, then draw 1 card.
"I return Gladiator Beast Domitianus, Gladiator Beast Gistel, and the Trap Gladiator Beast Charge, then draw."
Three cards slid out from his Graveyard. Roland returned them to his Deck and drew a new card.
Alicia watched this sequence and instantly understood Roland's goal. And as expected—
Roland thrust his hand forward. "I return Gladiator Beast Vespasius, Murmillo, and Equeste to the Deck and Fusion Summon!
"Fusion materials: Gladiator Beast Vespasius and 2 Gladiator Beast monsters!!"
A massive fusion vortex opened in the sky. All three monsters roared and flew into it.
A colossal waterspout erupted downward, shaking the earth with its roar. Even distant students turned to look.
Roland raised his voice: "Ruler of the deep seas! King of the oceanic Gladiator Beasts! Crush all who stand before you—Fusion Summon!! Descend—Gladiator Beast Domitianus!!"
"ROOOOAR!!!"
With a tyrant's roar that split the sky, the waterspout exploded outward. The sea-king Gladiator Beast, bearer of the tyrant's title, descended onto the field once more.
[Gladiator Beast Domitianus] 3500 ATK
...
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