After demonstrating Xyz Summoning, Youmi continued explaining: "The monsters used for the Xyz Summon of an Xyz Monster overlap beneath the Xyz Monster as Xyz Materials. These materials can be used for the Xyz Monster's effects, or..."
Youmi drew a card out from beneath Time Thief Redoer and activated the effect of a monster in the Graveyard.
"The effect of Time Thief Bezel Ship in the Graveyard activates. I detach one Xyz Material from Time Thief Redoer to Special Summon it from the Graveyard. Then, the effect of Raider's Wing in my hand lets me detach another Material from Time Thief Redoer to Special Summon it from my hand."
"Two monsters of the same Level... is it coming?"
Seeing the two monsters appear once more on Youmi's field, Paradox tightened his brow with a stern expression.
"I wanted to do something crazier, yet... I use the Level 4 Time Thief Bezel Ship and Raider's Wing to construct the Overlay Network and Xyz Summon! Appear—Time Thief Perpetua!"
The brilliant Overlay Network appeared again, and from it emerged the older version of the previously seen Time Thief Regulator.
"I target Time Thief Redoer. The effect of Time Thief Perpetua activates. I send Time Thief Flyback from my Deck to Time Thief Redoer as an Xyz Material." The automated Duel Disk ejected the card Youmi needed, and the Deck automatically shuffled after he drew it.
"You added a Trap Card as Xyz Material?"
Light began to shine from Youmi's right-hand glove. At the same time, the Xyz Materials on Time Thief Redoer spun faster and faster.
"The effect of Time Thief Redoer activates. I can detach up to three types of Materials from this card and activate the corresponding effects based on the type detached. Since I only have a Trap Card, I detach it. According to the effect, I can return one face-up card on the field to the top of its owner's Deck."
"Nani?!"
The card Youmi chose was, of course, Paradox's Malefic World. Although Paradox would draw it again next turn, Malefic Paradox Dragon would no longer be able to remain on the field.
"Since there's no Malefic World on the Field Zone, Malefic Paradox Dragon is destroyed..." Paradox glared at Youmi with anger, his voice trembling. "If... if a legendary Duelist who appears across multiple eras like you can wield such a powerful Summoning method, why didn't you spread it? If this form of Summoning could replace Synchro Summoning, maybe our era wouldn't have—"
Hearing Paradox mention the era of destruction alongside Synchro Summoning, Yusei immediately reacted with concern. "Paradox, what exactly is the devastated future and the destroyed era you're talking about?"
"I'll tell you once you defeat me. If you're doomed to fall to me, then anything I say now is meaningless. What's wrong, Youmi? Aren't you going to attack?"
Avoiding Yusei's gaze, Paradox turned his head and pondered for a moment before looking back to Youmi.
"No, I was just curious about the conversation you two were about to have. I activate Time Thief Hack in my hand, then use its effect to increase the Attack of Time Thief Perpetua by the number of Xyz Materials it has × 300 until the end of the turn." Youmi shook his head and directed his monster to attack. "Then... Time Thief Redoer attacks you directly."
If he had won the Duel City finals, he would have returned to his own timeline. Yet if he did... would he truly exist within the timelines of Jaden Yuki and Yusei Fudo? And if he didn't...
"I activate the effect of Battle Fader from my hand! I Special Summon it from my hand, negate the attack, and end the Battle Phase!"
Seeing the Battle Fader standing on Paradox's field, Youmi frowned.
To these three Duelists from future timelines, does he fail to defeat Yugi... or does he simply choose not to go back?
"I... set a card and end my turn."
He couldn't bring himself to ignore this Paradox, who had come from a ruined future.
Turn 4
"My turn. Draw. Though I already know what this card is."
Paradox added Malefic World to his hand and was about to activate it when Youmi cut him off.
"During your Standby Phase, the effect of Time Thief Redoer activates. I attach the top card of your Deck as Xyz Material." With a wave of Youmi's left hand, a card flew from Paradox's Deck into his hand automatically, which he then placed under Time Thief Redoer. "The type—oh, Malefic Territory? Not a bad card."
Carrying countless worries, Youmi hesitated yet still used the unused effect of Time Thief Perpetua: "The effect of Time Thief Perpetua also activates. I Special Summon Time Thief Winder from the Graveyard. Its effect lets me add Time Thief Start-Up from my Deck to my hand. Then... Time Thief Perpetua has an effect that lets me recharge Xyz Materials even during the opponent's turn. I send Time Thief Retrograde from my Deck to Time Thief Redoer as Xyz Material."
If they defeated Paradox, Paradox would die due to the Shadow Game effect of Malefic World.
However, he also didn't seem like the kind to kill them just like that. So then...
'Hmm?'
Youmi suddenly realized something.
Paradox never explained that Malefic World has any Shadow Game effect.
Then what was he even worrying about earlier?
With an exasperated expression, Youmi raised his left hand and asked, "Uh... just to confirm, does this Duel have any Shadow Game elements? Like if we lose, we all die or something?"
"My only target here is Pegasus. Though causing additional casualties along the way doesn't matter to me, I have no reason to kill people who have saved the world multiple times just because you've interfered with our plan. So don't feel any strange pressure. I simply wish to prove the correctness of our plan."
Paradox spoke as if amused by the question, yet still seriously explained to Youmi, "So the Duel continues. I activate Pot of Greed from my hand and draw two cards!"
Jaden pointed at Paradox's Pot of Greed and exclaimed, "Ah! Pot of Greed is Forbidden in our era! How can you use it?!"
Yusei's reaction wasn't as dramatic as Jaden's, but he was equally surprised. "It's the same in my era. Does that mean the future Duel environment is terrifying enough that a mindless draw card like that is active in the metagame?"
"Pot of Greed... I think it's fine. I even run three copies in my Deck." Yami Yugi responded differently, given the different banlists. "Though my Card of Sanctity was banned after Duel City by a list issued jointly by Industrial Illusions and KaibaCorp. Even Kaiba's own Chaos Emperor Dragon was—"
Paradox, apparently fed up with their chatter, smacked his D-Wheel and shouted, "Shut up! This card is still Forbidden in my era, but it isn't banned in this one!"
"Then shouldn't you switch your Extra Deck for a Fusion Deck—"
"I SAID SHUT UP! It's a fake among fake cards, yet something this useful! Who wouldn't want to run it?!"
After drawing two cards, Paradox let out a deep sigh and said, "I really didn't want to use this, but I have no choice. Youmi, I Tribute your two monsters and send this mighty monster with 3000 Attack to your field."
From beneath Time Thief Redoer and Time Thief Perpetua, a pair of lava-covered giant hands erupted and dragged them underground.
"Paradox, you BITCH...!"
This is probably the first time in a long while that Youmi had gotten this emotional. To think he was still wondering how to satisfy both sides… under Paradox's relentless verbal pressure, he finally lost his composure.
"Then I activate Graceful Charity, draw three cards from my Deck, and discard two from my hand. I activate the effect of the Glow-Up Bulb I just discarded to the Graveyard: I send the top card of my Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon it from the Graveyard.
"Then, with Glow-Up Bulb tuning Battle Fader—lend me your strength, Z-ONE! Synchro Summon! Synchro Tuner—Formula Synchron!"
Paradox glanced at his hand, then Special Summoned a monster to use it for the Synchro Summon. "Formula Synchron's effect—this effect can be activated when this card is Synchro Summoned. I draw one card from my Deck."
A small Synchro tuner resembling a formula race car appeared beside Paradox, surprising Yusei.
"Formula Synchron… a Synchron monster I've never seen before."
Naturally, Paradox knew Yusei's confusion and answered directly: "This is indeed part of the Synchron series you'll use in the future, but I didn't steal it from you at any point. It's a card entrusted to me by my dear friend, Z-ONE. To think—we intended to use Synchros to destroy the world, yet three out of four of us use Synchro-related cards. Quite contradictory, isn't it?"
"Next, I banish Malefic Paradox Gear and Malefic Parallel Gear from my Graveyard to activate Malefic Selector. I add two Malefic cards from my Deck to my hand—Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon."
Afterward, Paradox activated Malefic World, then sent Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon from his Deck to the Graveyard, Special Summoning Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
"I tune the Level 2 Formula Synchron with the Level 8 Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Sleeping atop the pinnacle of creation, O slumbering twin-headed dragon—let omniscient divine power manifest through you! Now, upon the stage that transcends time and space, unveil the curtain of destruction! Synchro Summon—appear, White Aura Bihamut!"
The pure white twin-headed dragon manifested on Paradox's field, and amidst the echoing roars of two dragons, it Special Summoned a Divine Dragon Token.
"White Aura Bihamut's effect—this effect can be activated during your turn when it is Synchro Summoned. I Special Summon a Divine Dragon Token in Defense Position with 3300 Attack Points. Battle Phase. White Aura Bihamut attacks Lava Golem—Twin Ripple!"
[Youmi, Yugi, Jaden, Yusei, LP: 4000 → 3700]
"Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon attacks you directly—Black Flame Bullet!"
Paradox's face finally showed a relieved smile—not arrogant, but genuinely hopeful—as if he could already glimpse victory. But that smile froze the moment Youmi discarded a card from his hand.
"I discard Sphere Kuriboh from my hand to change Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon to Defense Position."
The spirit of Sphere Kuriboh appeared at Youmi's side—its first time truly shining in his hands.
...
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