Phantom Demon's Gate, activate!
Even in the early animation cards, it ranks as a forbidden magic. The heavy Phantom Demon Gate opens slowly, and violent energy sweeps out.
Like the roar accompanying a demon, evil energy bursts forth. Abyssal darkness, as cold as ice, yet as hot as fire, intertwines with endless chaos and destruction.
In the face of such power, the Electronic Ultimate Dragon's 8000 attack power appears fragile as paper. That evil Power of Phantom Demon seems to form black claws, entangled with twisted arcs and dark flames, gripping the Termination Dragon. The steel body disintegrates in the darkness, currents spilling out, and the body is crushed to powder under that terrifying darkness.
But then, the darkness wraps around the fragments and falls onto Camilla's field, recondensing, bringing forth that steel entity. Three dragon heads roar in unison, electric snakes explode, only the Cyber Dragon's eyes have turned into evil crimson.
[Electronic Ultimate Dragon, Attack Power 4000]
"Your Electronic Ultimate Dragon is now mine!"
Camilla laughed loudly.
Marufuji Ryo's face was solemn and silent.
"Then activate the effect of 'Vampire Creator.'" Camilla shouted again, "Once per turn, the Vampire Creator can discard an Undead Monster from hand to special summon one Undead Monster from the graveyard whose level is lower than the discarded monster."
She showed another card from her hand.
"I send the Undead Monster 'Despair from the Dark' from hand to the graveyard."
Despair from the Dark is Level 8, so I can revive any Undead Monster below eight stars to the field."
A card exits the graveyard, drawn by Camilla, held high above her head.
"Revive the second 'Vampire Lord' discarded when the 'Demon-Suspected Red Moon' was activated last turn!"
A scarlet vortex swirled, and Baron of the Blood Race flung his cape open and landed on the field. His face was as pale as paper, yet it bore a cruel smile, the vampire's sharp fangs faintly visible at the corner of his mouth.
"Your field is empty and you have 0 cards in hand! Your Life Points are like a candle in the wind, while mine are a full eight thousand seven hundred!
Your ace monster has been captured by me, and I simultaneously command the 'Vampire Creator' and 'Vampire Lord,' two great aces!"
Camilla opened her arms, unable to resist sticking out her tongue, beginning her facial art, and laughed heartily.
"How about you just give in to me? Directly become my puppet, at least you can spare some physical suffering.
Although you might lose your freedom from now on, at least I guarantee you'll be comfortable."
She licked her lips again, her gaze like a hunter sizing up prey.
"I refuse." Marufuji Ryo stated adamantly.
He stood straight, fearless, looked towards his estranged old friend and the formidable lineup on her field.
"You've already told me, this duel is not just about myself, but it's a battle between humanity and the vampire race. So what I shoulder in this duel is not just my own victory or defeat, I cannot lose no matter what."
Pausing for a moment, he lowered his head, looked at his hands, seemingly deep in thought.
"Moreover... I have already decided."
Camilla: "What?"
"...decided to fight for victory from now on."
The moment he finally spoke these words, Caesar felt as though the long-harbored suffocating air in his chest was finally released. These thoughts had troubled him for so long, and now the thoughts are finally clear.
Yes, this is the true essence of dueling.
Victory, victory is everything. Previously he never felt this way, only because he never grew up, never faced true cruel reality.
No matter what is done, only a life won has meaning... no, only with victory, can there be life.
"Truly unlovable." Camilla didn't mind, said casually, "Well, but no matter what determination you make now, it's already too late.
Although because of the 'Temporary Truce' effect I cannot end the duel immediately this turn, but with your candle-in-the-wind Life Points..."
Camilla giggled.
"Electronic Ultimate Dragon, a strong monster with four thousand points of attack power. Oh ho ho, it's not bad to use the power of your most trusted old friend to send you off..."
"My turn, draw a card."
Marufuji Ryo drew a card, then stared at the Electronic Ultimate Dragon expressionlessly for a moment, then said slowly.
"Indeed, all along I've depended too much on its power. I'm accustomed to its presence, and I've been stubborn that only with its companionship can I win.
But such luxury is not needed in the cruel Duel World.
And for victory, old friend... please become my stepping stone too!"
He waved his hand grandly, a commanding shout.
"Activate the Cover Card, Continuous Trap—
—DNA Surgery!
Declare a race, turn all monsters on the field to the declared race!"
Camilla puzzled: "Cards that change race?"
"I declare Mechanical Race!" Marufuji Ryo shouted, "Your field's Electronic Ultimate Dragon is originally Mechanical Race. But in addition, your Vampire Creator, Vampire Lord, all become Mechanical Race!"
Camilla watched silently as all vampires on the field transformed into Mechanical Race.
Oh, and then? What does this achieve?
"Then activate Trap Card 'Return from Other Dimension'!" Marufuji Ryo said, "Pay half of Life Points, special summon from the game as many of your monsters removed from play as possible to the field."
[Marufuji Ryo, LP 500→LP 250]
Camilla: "The Book of the Living removed an Electronic Dragon from the game, when using 'Electronic Fusion Support' it removed two Electronic Dragons and one Original Electronic Dragon..."
"That's right, therefore three Electronic Dragons and one Original Electronic Dragon return to my field!"
[Cyber Dragon, Attack Power 2100] x3
[Original Electronic Dragon, Attack Power 1100]
Camilla chuckled softly, "So what? The power of the Cyber Dragon can only defeat my weakest 'Vampire Lord,' and I have a whopping 8700 Life Points.
Additionally, monsters summoned by 'Return from the Other Dimension' will be removed from play again at the end of the turn, not even able to remain on the field as a wall for the next turn…"
Marufuji Ryo glanced at Yugen.
"Thank you, Yugen. You've pointed out a new direction for me when I was stuck in a bottleneck, a path a mature duelist should take.
And now, this is the perfect card for me to bid farewell to my past self!"
Marufuji Ryo raised his hand, his palm sliding across the seven monsters on the field one by one, seemingly wanting to gather them all with his hand.
"I'm fusing a total of seven monsters, including the 'Original Electronic Dragon' treated as a Cyber Dragon on my field!
The fusion condition is 'Cyber Dragon' plus any number of Mechanical Race monsters on the field!"
Camilla was utterly astonished, nearly jumping up in surprise, her chest trembling with shock.
"What, what, what are you fusing!?"
But immediately she confirmed that she had indeed heard correctly.
Because she immediately saw the Cyber Dragon on Marufuji Ryo's field, like a bottomless pit, instantly swallowing up all the Cyber Dragons on his field, and then it greedily continued sweeping over to her side of the field.
In one gulp, it devoured the Electronic Ultimate Dragon, then the Vampire Lord forcibly transformed into mechanical form, and then the Creator…
Camilla was astounded.
Na na na nani!??
Oh my, what is this thing? Fusion indiscriminately across both fields, gulping down seven monsters!
You must be using a Forbidden Card, aren't you!?
"Farewell to my capriciousness."
Marufuji Ryo raised his right fist high.
"And this is the proof of my rebirth from the ashes, born solely for victory, the new Cyber Dragon—
—Chimeric Fortress Dragon, Summon!!!"
The Fortress Dragon, nicknamed the Tire Dragon due to its unique body shape, resembling rings of interconnected metal fortresses, descended majestically onto Marufuji Ryo's field, roaring as if reborn through fire!
[Chimeric Fortress Dragon, Attack Power 0]
"Chimeric Fortress Dragon can use any Mechanical Race monsters, including Cyber Dragons, from both fields as fusion materials.
Moreover, its attack power becomes the number of fusion material monsters x 1000 points!"
"Fusion material… one thousand…"
Camilla's expression was a lost cause, as if struck by lightning, frozen in place.
The fusion materials of this boy just now… seven cards…
[Chimeric Fortress Dragon, Attack Power 0→Attack Power 7000]
"Attack Power seven thousand…"
Camilla was completely disoriented.
No…
The style of this person's Cyber Dragon deck until now was all kinds of fancy OTKs, clearly a strong attack suppression, straight-up duel type deck, and he seemed to be such a duelist.
But what's with this sudden shift in style!?
Instantly eating all the monsters on the opponent's field, popping out with an attack power of seven thousand?!
Are you sure this thing doesn't require sacrificing a soul or something to summon?
Suddenly, she felt that the Power of Phantom Demon acquired from sacrificing a soul wasn't as appealing anymore…
"Speed Attack Magic 'Restriction Removal.'" Marufuji Ryo said coldly, "Doubling the attack power of my own Mechanical Race monster on the field."
[Chimeric Fortress Dragon, Attack Power 7000→Attack Power 14000]
"Attack Power ten thousand… fourteen thousand!?"
Camilla's legs started to weaken, she couldn't help but step back, her body starting to shake.
Such a massive, fierce attack, would definitely cause destruction…
No doubt, it would cause death.
And certainly, it would be a tragic and shameful kind.
Marufuji Ryo took a deep breath, seeing the mighty Chimeric Fortress Dragon reach such strength, he suddenly felt enlightened, rid of confusion, rid of hesitation, even feeling that his previous indecisiveness was somewhat ridiculous.
"Chimeric Fortress Dragon, direct attack!
Evolutionary End Cannon!!!"
The energy core of the Steel Giant Dragon began to surge intensely, as if the whole fortress was vibrating. The surrounding space was illuminated in dazzling brilliance, time seemed to freeze at the moment of power accumulation.
Then it blasted out.
A sun-consuming strike, the electric arcs dancing like thousands of elves, cheering, even swallowing up the last screams of the vampire within.
[Camilla, LP 8700→LP 0]