Nash's merciless words made several girls in the class feel heartache for Alicia.
Chuck frowned, unable to watch, while Ace was still muttering under his breath about something like, "If she had just studied Synchro Summoning, this wouldn't be happening…"
As for Professor White, he simply observed without saying a word.
On the field, Alicia clutched her chest where the two sharks had struck her, taking several deep breaths before turning to Yuui at her side.
Seeing her state, Yuui let out a small sigh. "Even though King Arthur is called a 'Comics HERO,' he doesn't actually have the HERO name. That means most of the HERO support Spells and Traps in our Deck won't work on him. So winning with King Arthur alone—at least right now—is impossible.
"In any case, don't forget—your hand contains a Spell that can give a monster the HERO name. And in our Deck, there are Spells and Traps that can still be used even if the monster isn't a HERO. Those cards can help you turn the situation around.
"Also, yes. We're learning a new summoning method. Still, that doesn't mean we abandon our original one.
"Xyz Summoning can indeed strengthen us, but our Deck is ultimately a HERO Deck. And the method that draws out the greatest strength of HEROes will forever be Fusion!"
Hearing this, Alicia nodded and began desperately recalling the effects of every card in her Deck. Then she looked at the three cards in her hand—and her eyes lit up.
"Yuui-san!"
"You figured it out?"
"Mm!" Alicia nodded firmly. "I understand how to combine the strengths of these two kinds of HEROes!"
"Good." Yuui smiled. "Show me the results of your thinking."
Alicia nodded once more and played a card.
"I Set one card. Turn end!"
"Then it's my turn—draw!" Nash drew his card.
He glanced at it immediately and declared, "I activate Nightmare Shark's effect. Once per turn, I detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, then target 1 WATER monster I control. This turn, only that monster can attack—and that monster can attack directly.
"I detach the final material from Nightmare Shark and target Shark Drake. That will allow Shark Drake to attack directly."
[No.47 Nightmare Shark, 2000 ATK│Materials: 1 → 0]
As he spoke, the last material orbiting Nightmare Shark was absorbed into its body. A beam of light shot from the shark and entered Shark Drake. A moment later, a pair of wings—identical to Nightmare Shark's—spread from Shark Drake's back.
"I'm not done yet!" Nash continued. "The effect of Needle Sunfish activates. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls and reduce its Attack by 500.
"I target your Comics HERO King Arthur—its Attack decreases by 500!"
A spectral fish appeared, its body splitting open to reveal dozens of sharp spikes. The spikes fired all at once, striking King Arthur's armor and cracking it.
[Comics HERO King Arthur, 2400 ATK → 1900 ATK│Materials: 2]
"Battle Phase!" Nash commanded. "Shark Drake—direct attack! Abyss Bite!!"
"ROAR!!"
Shark Drake unleashed an excited roar, recalling its previous defeat at this human girl's hands. It spat a blast of violet spirit flame, the flame transforming into a fierce shark lunging straight at Alicia.
"Now!"
"Yes, Yuui-san!" Alicia raised her hand. "I activate my Set Trap—HERO Barrier! If I control a face-up Elemental HERO monster, one attack from an opponent's monster becomes negated."
"But you don't have any Elemental HERO monsters on the field!" Nash frowned.
Alicia smiled triumphantly and revealed her final card. "I do—in my hand!
"I chain to HERO Barrier and activate the effect of Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos! When your opponent declares an attack, I can Special Summon this card from my hand in Defense Position, and it cannot be destroyed by battle this turn!"
Light flared as the spiritual image of Neos burst forth, and the swirling protective cross-shield of HERO Barrier blocked the incoming violet flame shark.
[Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos, 2000 DEF]
Nash stared at the phantom-like Neos. "So this is the Spirit of Neos… As expected, Neos is no ordinary monster."
He had already heard the story of Alicia defeating the third-year duke's son, Roland Babar. Rumor said a new monster called Spirit of Neos appeared during that duel. Nash had suspected then that this 'Spirit of Neos' must be part of Neos's power.
From the instant he first saw Neos, Nash had sensed the monster was anything but normal.
And now, seeing a new form only proved he had been right.
Alicia continued, "Now! Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos's effect activates. When this card is Special Summoned, I can add to my hand 1 Spell or Trap that lists an 'Elemental HERO' monster in its text, or 1 Polymerization.
"I add the Spell Card Burst Impact from my Deck to my hand!"
Seeing Alicia add a card he had never heard of from her Deck, Nash raised an eyebrow slightly.
He glanced once more at the card he drew this turn, then waved his hand. "Battle Phase ends. I Set one card. Turn end!"
"My turn—draw!"
Alicia looked at the card she drew, and joy sparked in her eyes again. She swept her hand forward. "I activate the Spell Card Hero Mask. I target 1 face-up monster I control. I send 1 Elemental HERO monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, and until the End Phase, the targeted monster is treated as having the same name as the monster sent.
"I target Comics HERO King Arthur and send Elemental HERO Burstinatrix from my Deck to the Graveyard. King Arthur will be treated as Burstinatrix until the End Phase!"
[Comics HERO King Arthur (treated as Elemental HERO Burstinatrix)│1900 ATK│Materials: 2]
"Next, I activate the effect of Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos. During my Main Phase, I can shuffle this card into the Deck to Special Summon 1 Elemental HERO Normal Monster from my Deck. I Special Summon Elemental HERO Neos!!"
Light gathered into the body of Spirit of Neos, and the gradually materializing Neos descended onto the field.
[Elemental HERO Neos, 2500 ATK]
"Finally making your appearance, Neos… This time, what kind of surprise will you show me?" Nash wondered as he stared at the hero.
Alicia raised another card. "Next, I activate the Spell Card Burst Impact. This card can only be activated if Elemental HERO Burstinatrix is face-up on my field. Destroy all monsters on the field except Elemental HERO Burstinatrix. For each destroyed monster, that monster's controller takes 300 damage.
"Since King Arthur is being treated as Burstinatrix by Hero Mask, I can activate Burst Impact!"
Nash frowned. "You're going to sacrifice your own ace monster just to activate a Spell's effect?"
"Of course not!" Alicia revealed the last card in her hand, the one she had drawn this turn. "I chain to Burst Impact and activate the Quick-Play Spell Forbidden Dress.
"I target 1 face-up monster on the field. Until the end of this turn, that monster loses 600 Attack, cannot be destroyed by card effects, and cannot be targeted by card effects.
"Naturally, I target Elemental HERO Neos!!"
"Oh? Not a bad idea," Ace remarked from the sidelines, surprised. "If she pulls this off, those two Number monsters will both be wiped out, dealing him 600 effect damage. And with two 1900-attack monsters, she could finish him in one turn!"
Professor White nodded slightly at Ace's analysis, but his expression held no joy.
"It's a good plan… but only if it works."
And as if to confirm his words, Nash shouted from the field:
"A fine idea—but far too naive!
"I activate my Set Continuous Trap—Adapt to Adversity! As long as this card remains face-up, all WATER monsters I Summon or Special Summon are unaffected by Spell and Trap effects that would destroy them.
"Your Spell cannot destroy my Number monsters!!"
"What!?"
Alicia stared in shock as blue and violet lights enveloped Nightmare Shark and Shark Drake.
Then Forbidden Dress took effect, wrapping Neos in a shimmering rainbow barrier that weakened his aura.
[Elemental HERO Neos, 2500 ATK → 1900 ATK]
Finally, Burst Impact resolved—but now, a card that could have determined the duel's outcome was powerless to destroy a single monster.
Alicia bit her lip in frustration. All her careful planning was undone by a single card.
Yuui remained silent.
In his eyes, no duelist can win forever. Alicia had won many duels under his guidance. Losing once while learning a new summoning method was not a tragedy.
Nevertheless, just because he thought so did not mean she could accept it.
On the field, Alicia looked at the situation and understood clearly—defeat was creeping closer.
Albeit, she didn't want to lose. After a long hesitation, she steeled herself and shouted:
"Battle Phase! Comics HERO King Arthur—attack Nightmare Shark! Heroic Sword Slash!!"
King Arthur charged once more. This time, Nash made no move.
The massive blade struck Nightmare Shark—yet failed to pierce its defenses. Nightmare Shark swung its fin-blades in retaliation, cleaving Arthur apart. His armor shattered into fragments.
[Alicia, LP: 2400 → 2300]
"At this moment, Comics HERO King Arthur's effect activates! When this card would be destroyed by battle, I can detach 1 material instead. When a material is detached by this effect, this card gains 500 Attack and deals 500 damage to your opponent!
Go, King Arthur—Fatal Counterattack!!"
[Comics HERO King Arthur (treated as Elemental HERO Burstinatrix), 1900 ATK → 2400 ATK│Materials: 2 → 1]
A pale-gold material dissolved into King Arthur's body, mending his shattered armor. He swung his sword fiercely, sending out a gray shockwave.
[Nash, LP: 4000 → 3500]
Nash blocked the attack with one hand and stared intently at Alicia.
Through the flow of the duel, he had suddenly realized something.
The "Alicia" he was dueling right now was not the same person as the Alicia who once defeated him.
It was an absurd thought… but Nash's duelist instinct told him he was right.
...
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