"Amazing, you guys are making me want to defeat you even more!" Yugo shouted excitedly like a gorilla.
"Activate the effect of OMK Bubblegum used as Synchro Material!"
"This card's effect can be activated when sent to the graveyard as Synchro Material! Send the top card of your deck to the graveyard; if it's a Speedroid monster card, the Synchro Monster that used this card as material gains 1000 ATK!"
"Another gamble on luck?"
"Hahaha, this guy is so interesting!"
"It's not luck—it's inevitable. I trust my deck; it will give me the result I want!" Yugo quickly turned over the top card of the deck, glanced at it, and immediately smiled, "The card sent to the graveyard is Speedroid Razorang!"
"Therefore, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon gains 1000 ATK!"
"Awooo!!" Clear Wing howled to the sky, increasing its attack power.
Clear Wing Synchro Dragon ATK: 2500→3500.
"Next, activate the Spell Card, Shock Surprise!"
He pulled two cards from the graveyard, "This card can be activated by targeting up to two cards on the field for each Speedroid monster you banish from the graveyard. Destroy those cards!
I banish OMK Bubblegum and Razorang from the graveyard to destroy your continuous Spell Card Flame Swordsrealm and Set Card!"
Flame Swordsrealm was instantly torn to pieces. The Flame Swordsman looked at the old ally, the old continuous Spell, being destroyed, and couldn't help but shrug. On the other side, the card over there had already been revealed.
"Trap Card, Destruction Sword Memories!"
"Eh?" Muto Yugi made a surprised sound.
"This is a Fusion Trap Card that can perform Fusion in the graveyard—but what I'm activating now is its first effect." He revealed a card in his hand, "Discard one 'Destruction Sword' card from your hand to activate it. Special Summon one 'Buster Blader' monster from your deck!"
"I discard the Fusion of Buster Blader in my hand to Special Summon from the deck—Buster Blader."
A mighty, armored warrior wielding a greatsword appeared on Tenjo Hikari's field.
"Wow! It's Buster Blader—didn't know that card had a Fusion version too?"
"That was the prize Hikari got at the start of the school year, right? Seems like it's the first time he's using it today. What's he planning?" Judai and his friends were somewhat confused.
Buster Blader, LV 7, Earth Attribute, Warrior-Type, ATK 2600→3100
"Buster Blader gains 500 ATK for each Dragon-Type monster on the opponent's field or in their graveyard!"
"Phew, that was close..." Yugo breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, he didn't destroy the front field monster directly; otherwise, he could use that card to summon a 2600-point wall and hold out until the next turn to summon a new Flame Swordsman with Flame Swordsdance, which would mean losing.
Luckily, he listened to Rin and destroyed the back field in advance.
"Will that monster gain attack power from the Dragon-Type monsters?" Yugo thought for a moment.
On one side, there was a Warrior with 1800 ATK, and on the other, there seemed to be an ineffective Synchro Fusion. After comparison, Buster Blader seemed to pose a greater threat—
"Then, in battle, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon attacks Buster Blader!
Vortex Dive Strike!"
Clear Wing Synchro Dragon shook its hands, and two wind blades like light sabers emerged from them. In a flash, it moved to the front of Buster Blader and shredded it to pieces.
Tenjo Hikari LP: 3500→3100.
"Your judgment is quite accurate." Tenjo Hikari glanced at his hand.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the Shaddoll Series in his hand, otherwise, he would have had his opponent all sorted out.
But—
That doesn't mean he doesn't have cards aimed at his opponent.
"However, you still seem a bit small."
"What?! Does that mean I can't win because I'm young!"
"Ah, no, it's not that; it's because you have great potential for growth—my turn, draw!"
Tenjo Hikari sharply drew a card.
Tierra, who had been watching the duel from his side all along, saw the card drawn and laughed, "Beautiful, Tenjo Hikari, at such a scene, showcase this card to the whole world!"
She chuckled, "Going to the Secret Village of the Spellcasters this month was worth it; that Magical Scientist sure has connections!"
Tenjo Hikari nodded.
During this month's preparation period, after arranging the spirits in the workshop, Tenjo Hikari visited the Secret Village of the Spellcasters, unexpectedly obtaining a new Fusion Monster, which perfectly represents a card symbolizing their world.
That Magical Scientist is truly incredible, not only able to get cards like Elder Entity and Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste but also this Fusion Monster Card.
However, this time, it seems there's no chance to use Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste—but there's a chance to use this card.
"Activate the effect of the Fusion of Buster Blader in the graveyard! When this card is in the graveyard, discard one card to activate it! Add this card from the graveyard to your hand."
Tenjo Hikari sent the card he just drew to the graveyard, then automatically retrieved the card from the graveyard.
"Next, activate the Continuous Spell Card, Overload Future Fusion! This card can reveal a Fusion Monster in the Extra Deck and send cards listed as Fusion Material for that monster from the deck to the graveyard!
I reveal—Meteor Black Dragon!
Send Meteor Dragon from the deck to the graveyard!"
"Strange, what is Hikari doing?" Several people familiar with Tenjo Hikari looked at each other, a bit puzzled by his unusual move.
Today, Hikari's tactics are indeed different from usual.
"Then, all preparations are complete!"
"Oh! Tenjo Hikari has issued a victory declaration?!" The MC commented aptly at this moment, "But Yugo's field has a powerful monster with 3500 ATK!
Even in the current scene, there is utterly nothing that can stand against it!
Could there be some extraordinary powerful monster in Tenjo Hikari's hand to reverse the situation?!"
"It's not that easy!" Yugo shouted after hearing the MC's words, "My Clear Wing Synchro Dragon can negate and destroy the effects of monsters above LV 5 and even gain the ATK of destroyed monsters! No matter how powerful you—"
"No!" Tenjo Hikari raised his hand, gently waving it, "In my hand, at present, I only have - a Fusion Spell Card!"
"Huh?"
"Only a Fusion Spell Card?" The MC muttered in disbelief, "Can such a deck even work?"
Even someone as knowledgeable as he couldn't help but ask.
But after thinking it over carefully—indeed, up until now, Tenjo Hikari seemed to have been consistently using cards related to "Fusion," with every card having a fusion-related effect.
"You're dueling with that kind of deck?" Yugo asked in amazement.
"Of course! Because—I believe fusion is the most noble form of summoning, I want to pursue the ultimate fusion, so all I need is fusion!
Activate Fusion Spell Card—
Magicalized Fusion!"
He snapped his fingers, holding the card between his index finger and thumb, revealing the true face of the Fusion Spell Card in his hand.
"Magicalized Fusion, a Fusion Spell Card exclusive to Spellcaster-Type, by banishing fusion materials from the graveyard, it allows for the Fusion Summon of a Spellcaster-Type monster!"
"Huh? Spellcaster-Type monster? Isn't there only... Ah!"
"What did Tenjo Hikari throw into the graveyard with the Buster Blader fusion just now?"
Without turning his head, Tenjo Hikari swiftly drew two cards from the graveyard, displaying them to the entire audience.
At this moment.
Not only those present, but everyone watching this duel could see what those cards were—
Kaiba Seto suddenly stood up, while Muto Yugi couldn't help but smile and nod slightly.
In that instant, in Tenjo Hikari's world, all the duelists witnessing this scene could see what he was about to perform...
[Fusion]!
"The fusion materials are—
Dark Magician and Buster Blader!!"
He raised both hands high and then clasped them together.
"The strongest magician of all generations, the swordsman who hunts destructive dragons!
At this moment, witness this instant!
The legendary magician descends—
Fusion Summon!!
Dark Paladin!"
Rip—
A peculiar ripple, a mage clad in red armor tore through space, walked out from the air, and landed steadily on the ground.
Dark Paladin.
LV 8, Dark Attribute, Spellcaster-Type, Attack Power 2900
"Eh, wow, ah?"
"Um... Huh??"
"Dark Paladin inherits the effect of Buster Blader, for each Dragon-Type monster on the field or in the graveyards, his Attack Power increases by 500 points!" Tenjo Hikari pointed at his opponent, "This effect is continuous, so even your dragons can't negate it!"
"Uh—" Yugo shrugged his head.
Indeed, that's the case.
Dark Paladin ATK: 2900→3900
Normally, opposing worlds wouldn't be aware of each other's duelists' conditions, so Yugo wouldn't actually need to worry about being targeted.
But unfortunately.
Upon seeing him, Tenjo Hikari knew he would definitely have "Summon Dragon."
This doesn't even need a Shaddoll or Buster Sword targeting to deal with, it's truly a personal vendetta.
Even though a Shaddoll wasn't drawn, using this to target him—there's even more momentum!
"Battle! Dark Paladin attacks!"
"Super Magical Wave Splitting Slash!"
Dark Paladin swung his massive demon sword, leaping up high, and slashed at Clear Wing Synchro Dragon.
"Wah—" Yugo hopped left and right, trying to catch the Synchro Dragon, but ultimately was crushed underneath it, losing life points.
Yugo LP: 2200→1800.
"And then..." Tenjo Hikari smiled faintly, signaling the Flame Swordsman, who noticed Tenjo Hikari's smile, instantly understood, and excitedly raised his weapon, "Direct Attack by Flame Swordsman!"
Yugo LP: 1800→0
"Ahhh!!!" Yugo got smacked on the head by the Flame Swordsman's greatsword, covering his head and rolling around, crying out in pain.
The duel ended, the image faded, but whether in the City or at Kaiba Company, silence reigned.
"Oh oh oh—! The first duel of the Friendship Cup's opening ceremony! The winner, Dimensional Duelist—Absolute Fusion Master, Tenjo Hikari!" The MC, unfazed, excitedly announced the result, "Brilliant design, perfect direct hit, and absolute fusion—
Every card played was a fusion, this is the Dimensional Duelist—Tenjo Hikari!!"
He excitedly declared the result, as if he were in a completely different world from everyone else.
The duel was over.
But the ripples caused by this first duel had only just "begun"!