# Chapter 97: Shining Draw
"I activate the effect of Number S39: Utopia Prime! During my Main Phase, by detaching all Overlay Material from this card and paying my Life Points until they become 1, I can banish all monsters on my opponent's field and inflict damage to their Life Points equal to the combined attack points of those monsters! Pandora Flash!"
Number S39: Utopia Prime raised the longsword in its hand high, and a dazzling light swept across the entire field like a blazing sun. Yuri's two poison dragons shrieked in pain under the scorching sun that could incinerate everything.
Yūga Hōzumi's Life Points: 1200 → 1
Yuri raised a hand to shield his eyes, then with difficulty, revealed a card from his Graveyard.
"I activate the effect of Blocking Tomato in the Graveyard! By banishing this card from the Graveyard, any effect damage I take this turn becomes 0."
After the scorching sun sent the two poison dragons to a different dimension, Utopia Prime unleashed two sword slashes toward Yuri, but they were blocked by a red phantom.
After the phantom of Blocking Tomato exploded, Yuri appeared somewhat disheveled, no longer possessing his previous elegance. Looking at Utopia Prime in the air, Yuri gritted his teeth and said, "Is this your trump card? What a pity. An effect activated by paying your Life Points down to a mere 1 was blocked by me."
"Your hand is empty, and your only monster has 2501 attack points. But I still have 2800 Life Points left. Do you want to attack? This might be the last attack of your life. Next turn, I will personally extinguish your life, which is like a candle in the wind," Yuri said with a cruel smile.
"You haven't made a move in a while, so your set card must be an attack declaration trap like Mirror Force, right? And the monster you've held in your hand since the start of the duel, the one that can be Special Summoned when your opponent declares a direct attack and can destroy the monster it battles—is it a double-layered defense with Predaplant Bottlegrass Ant?" Yūga Hōzumi, in his ZEXAL state, spoke calmly, facing Yuri's taunts.
"Oh? You noticed?" Yuri raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that's to be expected from someone who can fight me to this extent. Since you've already guessed, I might as well tell you: this set card is Blazing Mirror Force."
"When your opponent attacks, this card can destroy all attack position monsters on their field, and then inflict effect damage to both players equal to half the combined attack points of the destroyed monsters."
"Because of Blocking Tomato's effect, I won't take any effect damage this turn. But with only 1 Life Point left, you can't withstand any damage," Yuri said with a smile.
"Well, what will you do now? Your so-called hope should be extinguished after burning so brightly."
"Hope isn't so easily extinguished," Yūga Hōzumi said with a smile.
"Do you have another way? Don't forget, your hand is empty," Yuri chuckled softly. "It's just bravado before death."
"Is that really so?" Yūga Hōzumi chuckled, as the phantom of a card appeared beside him, slowly fading away into a different dimension.
"I activate the effect of Rank-Up-Magic Zexal Force in my Graveyard! If my Life Points are 2000 or more lower than my opponent's, I can banish this card from my Graveyard and draw one card from my Deck."
"Oh, burning light of hope! Dwell within my right hand and lead me to a new future!" Yūga Hōzumi slowly raised his right hand, and a brilliant light gradually gathered upon it.
"For the strongest duelist, everything is inevitable. Even the cards they draw are created by their own will! Shining Draw!" A dazzling light flashed, and Yūga Hōzumi drew the brilliant card from the top of his Deck, then slammed it onto his Duel Disk.
"I activate Rank-Up-Magic Shining Force! I target one 'Shining Number' Xyz Monster I control; Special Summon from my Extra Deck, one 'Shining Number' monster that is one Rank higher than that target, by using it as the Xyz Material."
A light as dazzling as the sun enveloped Utopia Prime, erupting with heart-stopping energy.
"Oh, first light born from the origin of the universe! In the name of hope, sever the evil that stands before me! Shining Rank-Up Xyz Change! Descend, Rank 5! Number S39: Utopia the Lightning!"
The light gradually dispersed, and Utopia appeared in a brand-new form. Compared to the elaborate Utopia Prime from before, this form's armor was very simple, its streamlined platinum and white body containing astonishing energy.
Number S39: Utopia the Lightning ATK: 2500
"An attack of 2500? How did its attack points get lower after Ranking Up?" Yuri mocked without mercy.
"When Number S39: Utopia the Lightning has Number S39: Utopia Prime as an Xyz Material, its attack points become this card's Rank multiplied by 1000! (Manga Effect)"
Number S39: Utopia the Lightning ATK: 2500 → 5000
"5000 attack points?" Yuri's brow furrowed, realizing things weren't so simple.
"Furthermore, when this card attacks, neither player can activate any card effects until the end of the Damage Step!" Yūga Hōzumi continued.
"What?!" Yuri's face drained of color.
"Go! Number S39: Utopia the Lightning, direct attack! Hope Sword Lightning Slash!"
Utopia the Lightning drew the two greatswords from its back, leaped into the air, and swung them repeatedly, unleashing two mighty slashes of light toward Yuri.
Yuri instinctively tried to use his prepared defenses to block the attack, but no matter how many times he tapped his Duel Disk, it didn't respond. He could only watch helplessly as the lightning struck him.
Yuri LP: 2800 → 0
The duel ended, and the monster's image slowly dissipated. However, Utopia the Lightning's attack left a deep, cross-shaped gash in the ground. Within it, the unconscious Yuri twitched ceaselessly. On his undeniably delicate right cheek, a charred scar now stretched across his entire face.
Yūga Hōzumi walked over and slowly raised his Duel Disk. Just as he was about to turn him into a card and eliminate the threat for good, a purple light shot from behind him, landing on Yuri.
"Yūga Hōzumi!" From behind him, familiar voices called out one after another.
Yūga Hōzumi turned his head and saw Kaito, Sugihara Yo, Yuto, and the culprit behind the purple light—Serena—rushing over anxiously.
"How are you? We finished things on our end, but we didn't hear from you, so we got worried and came over," Yuto said.
Yūga Hōzumi: ...
In his ZEXAL state, Yūga Hōzumi looked at the bracelets on Yuto's and Serena's right arms with a pained expression. What could he say? That they came at the wrong time?
After Yuri vanished, the morale of the Obelisk Force, having lost two of their top duelists, completely collapsed. They immediately scattered like frightened birds. Meanwhile, the Resistance Army behind Yūga Hōzumi charged out with unstoppable momentum.
As the duel concluded, Yūga Hōzumi's white bodysuit, red half-armor, and long golden hair transformed into particles of light and drifted away on the wind.
This sudden exhaustion made Yūga Hōzumi's vision go black, and he stumbled unsteadily, falling into Serena's arms.
...
(end of chapter)