It's Gem-Knight Lapis's turn, and it draws a card, then activates a Continuous Spell Card once again.
"Scatter Fusion!"
It's the same Fusion Spell Card often used by Tenjo Hikari, a Fusion Card that can only be activated when there are Monsters on the opponent's field. Seeing this card being activated, Tenjo Hikari squints his eyes and swiftly flips open a Set Card: "At this moment, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, El Shaddoll Fusion!"
"This card can only be activated once per turn, to Fusion Summon a Shaddoll Fusion Monster using cards from your field or hand!"
"I fuse Shaddoll Falco on the field with Predaplant Chlamydosundew in my hand!"
"Fusion Conditions: Shaddoll Monster and a Dark Attribute Monster!"
"Descend upon us, Speaker of the Gods!
El Shaddoll Winda!"
Tierra raises her hand lightly, and a mass of purple Puppet Strings falls from the sky, controlling a massive Flying Dragon that emerges, while a ghostly figure identical to her stands in front of the Dragon.
El Shaddoll Winda, LV 5, Dark Attribute, Spellcaster-Type, ATK 2200.
Meanwhile, the effect of Scatter Fusion is also processing.
The second Gem-Knight Lapis and Gem-Knight Garnet successfully send from Lapis's Deck to the Graveyard.
Like Brilliant Fusion, Scatter Fusion is also a Deck Fusion, but unlike Brilliant Fusion, which has no restrictions, Scatter Fusion not only requires a Monster on the opponent's field but also restricts you to Special Summon only extra Monsters of Gem-Knights, and it cannot fuse Rock-Type Gem-Knights.
As two Monsters fuse, a crimson figure swings a massive scythe, flinging open its cape and landing on the ground.
Gem-Knight Ruby, LV 6, Earth Attribute, Pyro-Type, ATK 2500.
"Beautiful, this way, Lapis can't Special Summon Monsters anymore unless it can destroy Lord Winda at this moment!" Crystal cheered excitedly, "However, on Lord Tenjo's field exists Wendigo, as long as this card is on the field, it grants a monster the ability not to be destroyed by Special Summoned Monsters in battle!"
Perhaps unable to hear Crystal's words, or completely unaware, Lapis tried to activate a Spell Card tentatively but found it couldn't be activated at all, then as if awakening from a dream, it chose to attack.
Ruby swung its massive scythe at Winda.
"Activate Wendigo's effect, once per turn, it can grant a monster on my field the special ability not to be destroyed by Special Summoned Monsters in battle!"
But Lapis didn't care at all, the Ruby laden with Puppet Strings continued its attack as usual.
With its attack, Tenjo Hikari was supposed to lose 300 Life Points—
But this loss came not from Ruby's attack, but from numerous Puppet Strings suddenly shooting out from the sky, stabbing toward Tenjo Hikari!
Tenjo Hikari raised his hand to block in front of him, the arm of a Gem Knight appearing on his body, and the sizzling sounds from the Puppet Strings caused him a stinging pain.
Tenjo Hikari LP: 4000→3700.
"Wow..." Tenjo Hikari felt a burning pain in his right hand.
In the past, with just Crystal Knight assisting, the Duel between himself and the Spirits wouldn't be so painful, but this time was different; the power accumulated by Lapis was too much, not less than those feeble Phantasms in total!
Although the quality was somewhat disparate, very mixed, this time Tierra didn't help him either.
He slightly squeezed his right hand.
A bit numb.
Lapis didn't continue to act and ended its turn like this.
"Have you noticed?" Tierra spoke up at this moment, "That Spirit, it doesn't have rational self-awareness at all now. What drives its actions are its resentment and hatred, hatred toward life, hatred toward the pain it's suffered."
She tilted her head slightly: "That's why I said, why not come again two months later, at that time it should've turned into a complete mechanical existence, without even hatred. Of course, you're also right, if you came earlier, it might still have some rationality, making things easier and less painful than now.
Because what it wants now is just to torment everything around madly, letting others bear the sufferings it endured."
She tilted her head again, glancing at Tenjo Hikari, accurately speaking, at the Crystal on his body: "As I said… ultimately just a copied fake."
"..." Crystal didn't reply.
Tenjo Hikari drew a card, then spoke: "Tierra, don't just talk about them, weren't you full of interest when you first came to this world?
Did you find out that this place isn't the world you hoped for, with nothing familiar, so you feel sad?"
Tierra closed her eyes, nodding silently.
There was no need for her to deceive Tenjo Hikari.
Even for her, who has "lived" for who knows how many years, after awakening from a long dream, discovering everything becoming so unfamiliar brings a sense of loneliness and void, she also clearly knew, she wanted to see some things from the past, otherwise, she wouldn't have been so excited when she acquired "Satan."
All along, she was never fond of Tenjo Hikari's "Crystal."
On one hand, she knew, that although Crystal was under Tenjo Hikari's command, he always insisted that "if he finds his own world, he will definitely go to aid his kin," and on the other hand, it and "Crystal" weren't alike.
Alike, yet not entirely alike, which made it all the more conspicuous and bothersome in Tierra's view.
Charisma, integrity, loyalty—all mere likeness without a perfect match, which was indeed an unpleasant eyesore for her.
Never had there been a time when Crystal felt lost and bewildered due to disasters, he only ever stood up time and again, like an undead monster that couldn't die thoroughly, fighting till the very end, until ultimate disappearance.
Back then, she made her own effort to resurrect, wanting to reset the entire planet's ecosystem, creating life forms according to her own preferences. The natives rallied against her, and at that time, Crystal received the planet's blessing, becoming "Zefraath" with the help of countless lives and the planet, acquiring a power equivalent to hers, ultimately overcoming her through numerous comrades, leading to her demise once again––
But if the one to defeat her in the end was this "Crystal" before her, she would indeed die an unsatisfactory death.
In comparison, it was Tenjo Hikari's purity that made her current inoperative state less monotonous and annoying.
"I switch Wendigo on the field to Defense Position."
Tenjo Hikari maneuvered the Monsters on the field.
El Shaddoll Wendigo, ATK→DEF: 2800
"I activate the effect of Thunder Dragon in my hand, discarding it to add up to two Thunder Dragons from my Deck to my hand.
I add two Thunder Dragons from my Deck to my hand, then tribute Shaddoll Falco on the field to Tribute Summon, Thunder Dragon—"
Sizzle sizzle.
Double-winged Thunder Dragon made its debut on Tenjo Hikari's field, roaring skyward with electric flashes.
Thunder Dragon, LV 5, Light Attribute, Thunder-Type, ATK 1600.
"Then, it goes to the Graveyard to Special Summon Thunder Dragon Colossus from the Extra Deck—"
The green Thunder Dragon dispersed, replaced by an entirely black, raging Thunder Dragon.
Since the spirit of Thunder Dragon Colossus was now sleeping in the workshop, the image of Thunder Dragon Colossus was quite huge and menacingly fierce.
Thunder Dragon Colossus, LV 8, Dark Attribute, Thunder-Type, ATK 2600.
Now with Thunder Dragon Colossus and Winda, the lock field is considered complete, though maybe not very useful in this world, it still looks pretty cool.
"Battle, attack Ruby with Thunder Dragon Colossus—"
"Buzz—"
Just as Tenjo Hikari commanded Thunder Dragon Colossus to attack, the Puppet Strings binding Ruby instantly tightened, and a massive Trap Card on Lapis's field slowly flipped open. The card image depicted the gemstone on Ruby shining brightly, making itself increasingly radiant.
"Gem Optimize!" Crystal recognized the card in an instant.
Lapis's massive fist slowly clenched, and Ruby on the field, entangled by strings, then issued a crisp "snap," was forcefully pulled into rubble, simultaneously, numerous Puppet Strings delved into the Grave, dragging up the resting black-robed, blue-armored Knight from the Graveyard, thrown onto the field with a clatter, like garbage.
Tenjo Hikari raised an eyebrow.
This Lapis, such a tremendous resentment.
Gem Optimize, a Trap Card which Tributes a [Gem-Knight] on your field to Special Summon a [Gem-Knight] from your Graveyard!
Gem-Knight Aquamarine, LV 6, Earth Attribute, Aqua-Type, DEF 2600.
"Cease battle." Tenjo Hikari ended the Battle Phase.
He glanced at his hand card.
No major issues, as everything remains within expectations.
"End turn."