Chapter 96: Shining Xyz Change
"As expected, it revived. In that case, the Battle Phase ends." The Giant Dragon's revival didn't come as a surprise to Yūga Hōzumi.
"That means the protection 'Rapid Trigger' granted to your monster, making it unaffected by effects of monsters Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, has also disappeared," Yūga Hōzumi said.
"Spell Card, 'Pot of Avarice,' Activate! I return 'Number 39: Utopia,' 'Number 39: Utopia Double,' 'Zexal Weapon - Wind God Cloud Dragon Sword,' 'Zexal Weapon - Thunder God Mighty Tiger Sword,' and 'Zexal Weapon - Wild Eagle Divine Claw,' five monsters, from my Graveyard to my Deck, and draw two cards!"
"I Set a card, Turn End." Yūga Hōzumi ended his Turn.
"My turn! Draw!"
"During my Standby Phase, I banish 'Predaplant Cordyceps' from my Graveyard and activate its effect! I target two Level 4 or lower 'Predaplant' monsters in my Graveyard and Special Summon them."
"Revive! 'Predaplant Byblisp,' 'Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra'!"
"The effect of 'Fusion Substitute' in my Graveyard activates! I banish this card from my Graveyard, target one Fusion Monster in my Graveyard, return that monster to my Extra Deck, then, I draw 1 card from my Deck."
"I return 'Starving Venom Fusion Dragon' from my Graveyard to my Deck, and draw a card!"
"Next, Spell Card, 'Graceful Charity,' Activate! I draw 3 cards, then discard two cards from my hand to the Graveyard."
"I banish the Continuous Trap, 'Predaplant Planet,' from my Graveyard and activate its effect: Send the Fusion Material Monsters determined by a Fusion Monster Card from my hand or field to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon that 1 Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck. If a Fusion Summon is performed with this effect, only 'Predaplant' monsters can be used as Fusion Material."
"I banish 'Predaplant Byblisp' and 'Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra' from my field, Fusion Summon!"
"Return! 'Starving Venom Fusion Dragon'!"
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon ATK: 2800
"The game should end now. It's a pity, I won't be able to Duel against an interesting Duelist like you again." Yuri looked up at the two Giant Dragons shining in the sky, then licked his lips and said with a smile.
"Are you so sure you can finish me off this Turn?" Yūga Hōzumi retorted, raising an eyebrow. "Is it the Trap Card in your Backrow that gives you such confidence?" Yuri's smiling face suddenly turned sinister. "You rats from this Dimension always cling to some meaningless hope."
"Spell Card, 'Night Shot,' Activate! Targeting 1 Set Spell/Trap Card on your opponent's field, that Set card is destroyed, and your opponent cannot activate the targeted card in response to this card's activation."
A thin bolt of lightning shot out from the card in Yuri's hand, landing on Yūga Hōzumi's only Set card in the Backrow, shattering it.
"Let me see what this Set card was, the one that gave you the confidence to survive this turn with just one card." Yuri licked his lips and opened his Duel Disk panel. "'Masterpiece Puzzle'? Activate by targeting 2 monsters in your Graveyard. Special Summon those 2 monsters with their effects negated, and Xyz Summon 1 LIGHT Attribute 'Utopia' Xyz Monster using only those 2 as material."
"I see, so you planned to Special Summon your monster that can negate attacks with this effect to survive this turn? What was that monster's name again? Hope?" Yuri said sinisterly, "But now your hope is shattered! Hahahaha!"
"Battle! 'Starving Venom Fusion Dragon,' direct attack!"
'Starving Venom Fusion Dragon' roared, and countless vines grew from its back, twisting and constricting around Yūga Hōzumi from all directions, soon completely encasing Yūga Hōzumi.
"Leader!" The Resistance Army Soldiers behind Yūga Hōzumi cried out in alarm.
"I hope you can still stand after taking Starving Venom's attack, otherwise, it would be too boring if it ended like this." Yuri watched as the vines encasing Yūga Hōzumi tightened little by little, then shook his head and said.
Suddenly, dazzling light shone from the Cocoon formed by the vines, the vines peeled away layer by layer, and the light grew increasingly intense.
"Xyz Change ZEXAL!" Yūga Hōzumi's voice rang out from within the light, and the tightening vines immediately exploded into countless fragments.
The light gradually receded, and Yūga Hōzumi, clad in red Half-Body Armor, slowly revealed himself. His golden long hair swayed without wind, and a holy light shimmered around his body.
Yūga Hōzumi LP: 4000 → 1200
"You trickster, do you think changing clothes will change the outcome of this Duel?" The sudden turn of events startled Yuri, who gritted his teeth and said, "Die! 'Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon,' direct attack!"
'Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon' roared, its purple light wings unfurled, emitting an eerie light, and it raised its head, spewing a destructive Dragon Breath towards Yūga Hōzumi.
Yūga Hōzumi looked up at the howling Destructive Dragon Breath and inexplicably smiled.
"As long as I can battle, you won't take away our hope!" Yūga Hōzumi revealed the last card in his hand. "'Rainbow Kuriboh's' effect activates!"
"When an opponent's monster declares an attack, targeting that 1 attacking monster, this card from my hand is equipped to that monster as an Equip Card, and the equipped monster cannot attack."
"Kuriboh!" A Kuriboh with rainbow-colored tufts of hair flew out from Yūga Hōzumi's hand and bit onto 'Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon's' tail, its tiny body erupting with astonishing energy, causing Greedy Venom's attack to dissipate into the air.
The attack was ineffective, and Yuri's face became incredibly twisted. "I Set a card, End Turn!"
"My turn! Draw!" After Yūga Hōzumi drew his card, he didn't even look at what he drew, slapping the card onto his Duel Disk.
"Attack Position Summon, 'Gogogo Banchou Gagaga Coat.'"
"'Gogogo Banchou Gagaga Coat's' effect activates!"
"Targeting 1 'Dododo' monster or 'Zubababa' monster in my Graveyard, Special Summon that monster."
"Revive! 'Utopia Onomatopoeia'!"
"I Overlay two Level 4 monsters!"
"Xyz Summon! Descend once more! 'Number 39: Utopia'!"
Utopia ATK: 2500
After 'Utopia' descended once more, Yūga Hōzumi let out a low growl, and behind his red Half-Body Armor, iridescent wings slowly emerged. Yūga Hōzumi slowly extended his right hand; the originally red '39' number on the back of his hand was coated in a layer of golden light, and beneath 'Utopia's' feet, an iridescent golden vortex slowly formed.
"I Overlay 'Utopia' once again!"
"The first light of the universe, a ray of hope illuminating chaos, descend now! Shining Xyz Change! 'Number S39: Utopia Prime'!"
Amidst the holy light, 'Utopia,' enveloped in holy light, appeared in a brand new form, its wings transforming into 8 floating Crystals, reflecting a light as warm as the sun.
Number S39: Utopia Prime ATK: 2501
(end of chapter)