The Spell resolved, and Judai Yuki's own Interdimensional Matter Transporter shattered apart. "The follow-up effect of Interdimensional Matter Transporter," Judai Yuki said. "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I Special Summon the monster banished by this card's effect!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Yugen raised an eyebrow. At first he almost wanted to object on instinct, because the entire Elemental HERO Fusion family had the restriction that they could not be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon. But he quickly remembered that in episode two of the anime, Judai Yuki had tried to revive Elemental HERO Flame Wingman with Monster Reborn.
Thinking about it that way, the anime version probably did not have that restriction. It must have been added later when the card was printed.
"Therefore, by destroying my own Interdimensional Matter Transporter, come back to the field, Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman!"
Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 5200
"Then I enter battle!" Judai Yuki shouted. "Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, direct attack!"
Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman spread its metal wings and soared into the air, tracing a shining path as it charged at Yugen. At that moment, Yugen answered at once.
"Then I also use the follow-up effect of Interdimensional Matter Transporter!" he said. "When Interdimensional Matter Transporter is targeted by a direct attack declaration, I can send it to the Graveyard. At the same time, the monster banished by this card's effect returns to the field! Come back, Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000
"But the situation hasn't changed." Judai Yuki smiled confidently. "Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman has 5200 ATK. As long as the attack goes through..."
"I activate my face-down card, Spell Card Riryoku!" Yugen declared. "When my monster battles an opponent's, my Monster gains ATK equal to the opponent monster's ATK!" (ANIME EFFECT)
After the real card version was released, it was changed so it could only activate when a Fusion Monster battled, and it also gained the restriction that it could only be activated at the attack declaration. But in the anime, although both Judai Yuki and Kaiser Ryo were controlling Fusion Monster when they dueled, neither the spoken text nor the card text shown in the animation mentioned a Fusion-only restriction, and the timing was simply written as "during battle."
That kind of ATK or DEF-changing effect should therefore be usable any time before damage calculation. Most effects that change battle stats can be activated at that point, and before damage calculation it is also possible to start a new chain after the previous effect has already resolved.
"Therefore, Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning gains Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman's ATK, which means an increase of 5200!" Yugen said.
Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000 -> ATK 8200
"ATK 8200!"
Sho Marufuji's mouth hung open wide enough to fit an apple. That was higher than Five-Headed Dragon... no, even higher than the doubled-power Cyber End Dragon his brother once used.
"Heh, just as expected of Yugen. So strong, really so strong." Judai Yuki laughed. "But I'm still not at my limit. I activate the Continuous Spell Temple of the Kings. By discarding one card, I can use a Trap in my hand with the proper timing as this card's Effect Activation!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Judai Yuki discarded a card and revealed a Trap from his hand. "Trap Card Riryoku! Choose one face-up Monster on your opponent's field. Until the end of the turn, all other monsters on the field have the same ATK and DEF as that target! Of course I choose your Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, so Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman's ATK becomes the same!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 5200 -> ATK 8200
"So your goal is mutual destruction?"
"Not at all." Judai Yuki grinned. "I said the one who wins in the end will be me. From my Graveyard, I activate Trap Card Skill Successor! During my own turn, I can banish this card in my Graveyard, and one Monster on my field gains 800 ATK until the end of the turn. Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman gains another 800 ATK!"
Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 8200 -> ATK 9000
"ATK 9000!!!"
The crowd outside the field was already staring in shock. If the battle went through like this, then together with Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman's effect, Yugen would take 9000 points of damage.
"What an interesting Duel," Judai Yuki said with a smile.
"It really is an interesting Duel."
Yugen gently closed his eyes. "Thank you, Judai Yuki."
After a brief pause, he slowly opened them again and smiled faintly. "But even so... I still don't plan to give up victory that easily."
"Huh?"
"I activate the trap Megamorph!" Yugen declared. "If I only have one Monster on my field, that Monster gains ATK equal to the lowest ATK among the monster on your field until the end of the turn!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Judai Yuki's pupils shrank. The lowest ATK among the monster on his field...
"That's right. You only have Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman on your field." Yugen smiled. "Sorry, Judai Yuki, but let me gain Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman's ATK one more time!"
Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 8200 -> ATK 17200
The students were beyond shock, nearly frozen in place. ATK... seventeen thousand. In front of that kind of power, even Five-Headed Dragon would look worthless.
Looking up at Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning as its power rose to an even more absurd level, Judai Yuki stared blankly for a moment as the sword light fell like Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning under Macro Cosmos.
"Indomitable Fighting Spirit... is this what you found through Duel, Yugen?"
Before the sword energy of light and darkness came crashing down, Judai Yuki laughed again. "Then go, Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman! We have to answer Yugen's fighting spirit with our full strength too!"
The two great aces slammed into each other in a shocking collision. The shining blast and the light-dark Chaos sword energy exploded across the field, and the storm of holographic force looked ready to tear through the entire dome above them.
Judai Yuki, LP 6300 -> LP 0
Long after the Duel ended, no one moved. Then someone took the lead, rising from their seat and beginning to clap. One after another, more people in the stands got to their feet and joined in.
The applause rolled on without pause. It was their way of showing respect for the two strongest Duelists representing Duel Academy, and for the brilliant Duel they had just witnessed.
After being cut down and slammed to the ground by the 17,000 ATK Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, Judai Yuki simply lay flat on his back and refused to get up. Yugen walked over, sat down beside him, and smiled.
"How was it?"
"Ahhh, I really was just a little short. What a shame. I lost."
Judai Yuki let out a long sigh, but quickly sat up and looked at Yugen with a grin. Then he raised a classic dueling momentum gesture.
"But being able to feel Yugen's blazing fighting spirit at the end was really great. I didn't win, but it was still a fun Duel."
"Yeah."
Yugen smiled as well. Judai Yuki laughed and said they should have an even better Duel next time.
"But let me say this first. I improve fast. Next time, when I become even stronger in Student Council, the one who wins will definitely be me."